Connections of 2019 Golden Easter Egg winner ZIPPING Bailey, have decided it’s time for the brilliant sprinter to retire.
ZIPPING Bailey contested the heats of the TAB Million Dollar Chase at Maitland on Thursday night, but it was clear she wasn’t herself and she finished outside the placings and failed to qualify for next week’s Regional Final.
Owner Marty Hallinan contacted trainer Jason MACKAY on Friday morning and a decision was soon made.
“Jase said she was limping really badly this morning, and I said will we throw her in the paddock (for a spell),” Hallinan said. “But probably with her age … you give her three months off, you’ve got to bring her back, get her fit, she’d be 3 ½ by then.
“Sometimes you’ve just got to pull the pin. She’s a valuable broodbitch with the shine of the Easter Egg win there.
“That’s just racing but I’m getting used to it with (ZIPPING ) Garth and (ZIPPING) Mitzy, and something else, and there’s a few lately, but we’ve got to live with it.”
Hallinan explained that ZIPPING Bailey had originally suffered a hock injury following an incident in the catching pen at Wentworth Park in July. There was no bone damage, only cartilage, but MACKAY struggled to get her right, and get her ready for the Million Dollar Chase series.
She retires the winner of 21 races from 43 starts with 11 placings, and $371,016 in prizemoney. The pick of those wins came on April 20 this year when she produced a stunning last to first victory in the Golden Easter Egg Final, a performance recognised as the Run Of The year at the recent National Awards in Perth.
“That was the icing on the cake the Easter Egg,” Hallinan said. “We have had four runners in it (the Final) in the past and never run a drum, and we’ve had better chances than what she was at the time.
“To do what she did from last to first it was pretty exciting and something you dream of. We are all in it to try and win group ones but if you can win the Easter Egg, in your own home state, it’s a bit of a dream come true really.”
Hallinan said that while her future is now as a mother, there is no rush.
“We will probably let her have a season, then breed the second time. I don’t really rush in and breed first season,” he said.
He also indicated she is likely to be mated with their new sire, ZIPPING Garth, a dog touted by MACKAY as the fastest he has raced, but one whose career was tragically cut short by injury after just five unbeaten runs.
“Yeah they will be very valuable pups … let’s hope they can run. They should be able to, but you just cross your fingers.”
