The lightly raced three-year-old filly Esperanza is capable of making a return to the winners’ enclosure when she contests the Magic Millions Toowoomba Guineas Three-Year-Old Plate at Clifford Park on Saturday.
It would be a hometown victory for the Rex Lipp-trained daughter of Spirit Of Boom, who won on debut back on February 7 as a two-year-old before following up with two successive runner-up finishes in the QTIS Jewel Prelude 2YO Fillies Quality Handicap over 1000m and the $500,000 QTIS 2YO Jewel itself over 1200m.
In the Prelude, Esperanza lost out by just under a length to the more than useful Cheery Bombshell, who was in the middle of a run of three straight victories and would go on to run fourth in the Group 2 Furious Stakes at Randwick.
In the Jewel itself, Esperanza was beaten by just over a length by the Liam Birchley-trained Swift Dragon, who went on to win the Capricornia Yearling Sale Classic QTIS 2YO.
Lipp set the bar higher for Esperanza for the final two starts of her first preparation and, while she did not manage to find a place in either the Listed Calaway Gal Stakes or the Group 2 Spirit Of Boom Classic, she did enough in both assignments against quality opposition to suggest she retained plenty of untapped potential.
The Calaway Gal was won by Boomelli, whose current record stands at three wins from six starts, while Vantorix took out the Spirit Of Boom and has won all but one of his four career starts to date.
Esperanza rounded out her two-year-old campaign with a win and two second placings from only five starts.
On Saturday, Esperanza will make her first appearance as a three-year-old, fresh after a four-month break from race action.
Two trials in late August and early September have produced positive results and, with the vastly experienced Lipp pulling the strings, Esperanza looks well prepared for her return. She was victorious at her only previous first-up appearance.
Angela Jones, who partnered Esperanza in both the QTIS Jewel and the Calaway Gal, reunites with the Lipp-trained filly after missing the ride in the Spirit Of Boom through injury.
