Toowoomba-based trainer Rex Lipp was less than impressed with the ride aboard his stable’s star performer, Cifrado, in the recent Eye Liner Stakes at Ipswich. This has resulted in a jockey alteration for Cifrado’s upcoming assignment in the Listed Glasshouse Handicap at Sunshine Coast this Saturday.
Lipp expressed his frustration over Boris Thornton’s ride at Ipswich, noting that Cifrado was blocked on numerous occasions and finished the race with much in reserve, having been badly checked at the 100-metre mark.
The five-year-old gelding is now set to be ridden by Ben Thompson on Saturday. Lipp stated that the Group 2 BRC Sires winner is in career-best form.
“He’s got over his problems he had last preparation,” Lipp commented. “I don’t think the horse has looked better for twelve months – I think he’s going as good as I’ve ever had him.”
Regarding the previous ride, Lipp elaborated, “He (Thornton) knows, he’s ridden the horse before and you don’t go looking for runs on him unless you can drive a bus through because he winds up, he’s not a stop-start horse as you can see from his two previous runs. But anyway, we’ll put that down as ‘don’t let it happen again’.”
Cifrado made his debut over 900m at Gold Coast as a two-year-old, subsequently winning both the Sprit Of Boom Classic and the BRC Sires at Group 2 level. He has since added stakes wins at three, four, and five years of age. While Lipp would welcome a third Group 1 victory, he is currently focused on selecting appropriate races for Cifrado.
“If I can find the right race later on I’ll take him South (to Sydney),” Lipp said. “He ran fifth in The Hunter at Newcastle beaten a length and a half and had a chequered run but anyway, that’s the story of Cifrado, he should’ve won. Anyway, he worked nice and strong on the bit on the course proper Tuesday morning at Toowoomba and I’m very happy with him ahead of Saturday.”
Cifrado was one of 36 nominations for the 1400m Glasshouse Handicap on Saturday. He was the second elect in the all-in betting at $6, behind Bjorn Baker’s Midnight Dynamite, who also holds a nomination for the Winter Stakes at Rosehill Gardens. Explore Australian betting sites for the best racing odds.
