Gem of Scotland heads to Doomben
Gem of Scotland heads to Doomben in her next step towards the $300,000 The Jewel.
The lure of set weights has swayed trainer Rex Lipp to start Gem Of Scotland at Doomben rather than Toowoomba.
The winner of six of her nine races, Gem Of Scotland easily won a trial on her home track at Toowoomba last Tuesday.
The filly’s immediate aim is the $300,000 Three Year-Old-The Jewel at the Gold Coast on March 14.
Lipp wants her to have one run before the big race and nominated her for a Prelude at Toowoomba on Wednesday.
But he did not accept with the filly who will head to another The Jewel Prelude at Doomben on Saturday.
Lipp said the way the weights had panned out, Gem of Scotland was better suited in the harder race in Brisbane.
The Toowoomba race is a handicap and with Gem of Scotland rated 87.5, she would have carried 62.5kg.
The Doomben race is at set weights with Gem of Scotland to carry 55kg.
She is one of 22 entries taken on Monday including the unbeaten Tony and Maddy Sears-trained Exondabeach.
Gem of Scotland has not raced since winning at Eagle Farm on October 12.
“She had a slight setback at the track and we could have gone on but she is too good a filly to risk so we gave her a good spell,” Lipp said.
He will then consider the Sydney autumn and Brisbane winter.
There will also be Preludes for The Jewel at Mackay and Cairns on Saturday.
The winners of the four Preludes will be exempt from the ballot for The Jewel which will have 16 runners.