El Pensador has endured nine starts and nearly 10 months winless, though Rex Lipp expects his charge to strike at Ipswich this coming Monday.

The offspring of So You Think targets building on a promising reappearance in the antepenultimate race, the Seven News BM68 Handicap run at 1350 metres.

The five-year-old earned third across 1400m at Eagle Farm April 8 on return, his premiere placing in the top three since prevailing at Monday’s circuit last July, validating Lipp’s view of his peak readiness.

“Last preparation I just had a few little niggling things from after he came up from Melbourne,” Lipp said.

“It took a while to sort him out, but he seems to be back on track now.”

Under Lipp, El Pensador has secured every one of his three career successes in 20 appearances, after failing twice with Victorian trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy.

Lipp eyes 1800m for El Pensador later but remains unperturbed by the fresh 1350m assignment.

“I wanted to give him another run over the 1350 before I step him up to the mile,” he said.

“He’s going to run a mile, even 1800 this horse, but I just want to get him right.”

Lipp’s additional Victorian transfer Arcelia contests her next for the Toowoomba handler in the Great Northern Maiden Handicap (1200m), slotted as race two.

Post three goes with Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman, the Japanese mare delivered third at 1100m Gatton on April 10 stable debut, boosting Lipp’s optimism.

“It’s taken a while to get her right, get her balanced and get her going,” Lipp said.

“She went to Melbourne, so we’ve had to get her going the other way, but I give her a good chance if everything pans out OK in the run.”

Arcelia draws barrier eight with 1.5kg apprentice Corey Sutherland aboard, while El Pensador gets Angela Jones from gate 13, becoming 12 absent emergencies in the 16-runner contest.

Visit leading betting sites to check racing odds for the Seven News BM68 Handicap.