Tyzone, I’m A Rippa out to stall Darren Weir juggernaut in Eye Liner Stakes

IN-FORM local sprinters Tyzone and I’m A Rippa are poised to press the pause button on an expected Darren Weir show at Ipswich on Saturday when they run in the Eye Liner Stakes.

Weir is yet to crack it for an Ipswich win, but has only had a handful of runners at the track, the most recent of which were Puccini and Scarlet Billows, who were both unplaced at this meeting two years ago.

The country’s most prolific winning trainer has his strongest Ipswich hand ever on Saturday, with Tradesman (Cup) and Platinum Angel (Gai Waterhouse Classic) both dominant early favourites in their respective events.

In between, Weir’s multi-millionaire Lucky Hussler tries to get his derailed winter campaign on track in the Eye Liner Stakes.

Lucky Hussler was scratched from both the Doomben 10,000 and Kingsford-Smith Cup last month, before not paying up for last week’s Stradbroke.

He has been asked to carry 61kg in the Eye Liner, where Tyzone shoots for three wins on end and a maiden stakes success.

“He’s probably a little bit hard to line up where he fits in,” trainer Toby Edmonds said.

“He’s racing in good order. He’s drawn well and I think he’s looking for 1350m. It’s a nice type of race for him.”

I’m A Rippa will crack the $1 million prizemoney barrier if he can win the Eye Liner, having already won the Group 3 BRC Sprint and run second in the Listed Spear Chief this time in.

“I know the money from his Magic Millions QTIS win has inflated his earnings, but really he has done so well,” trainer Tony Gollan said.

“After the Millions win I thought he might not be ready to be a top winter horse. I thought he would be our next Brisbane summer carnival horse — races like the George Moore Stakes and Buffering Stakes. But he is really a preparation ahead of where I thought he would be.”