Hallinan Cautious Ahead Of Zipping Kansas' Return

RESPECTED owner/breeder/trainer Marty Hallinan expressed caution about what he'll get when his star galloper Zipping Kansas makes a highly anticipated return from injury on Saturday.

The dual middle-distance track record holder has been sidelined since April after suffering a ligament injury above a stopper bone and while out of action he moved from the kennel of Jason Magri, back into the care of Hallinan, his owner.

"Jason and I thought he just needed a change of kennel," Hallinan said.

"He hurt the ligaments up above the stopper bone and he had to have eight weeks off.

"He's been back in work for seven or eight weeks now."

Hallinan conceded the trial times of Zipping Kansas have been something of a mixed bag since his return but the dog is ready to return to the races.

The fawn son of US stud dog Superior Panama has a personal best time of 29.40 over the Wentworth Park 520m trip but Hallinan says the dog will need to defy most recent trial performance to win Saturday night's free-for-all.

?? It was only fitting Zipping Kansas won the "Congrats Zipping Kansas" race at Wentworth Park tonight and certainly stamped his authority as a serious contender for the upcoming group races at the track, with a new blistering PB of 29.40! ?

Run home 11.45 ? pic.twitter.com/K5IDjaAkit

— Dimity Maher (@DimityMaher) December 26, 2021

"I took him to Wenty the other night and his run home was good but I thought he'd go a lot better," he said.

"I've gave him a 300 last Tuesday night, he went 16.25, it had rained all day and the track was no good, so I was happy with that and his run home was nice.

"I took him back there on Tuesday and he only ran 24.55 but with an 11.61 run home.

"He is four-year-old now and he might just need a couple of runs to get back to going like the Kansas that we all know.

"He'll improve from whatever he does on Saturday but I just want to get him back into racing mode again.

"He's a long way from the Kansas that I want.

"I'm not saying he can't win on Saturday night but his trial was only average for a dog of his quality."