Kelso Wood’s Brisbane-based sprinter Belltone will defend their title in the major race on the Caloundra Cup Day program this weekend vying for consecutive wins in the 2013 Glasshouse Handicap.
Belltone defends their title in Saturday's Glasshouse Handicap 2013. Photo: Daniel Costello.
The veteran Brahms seven-year-old was the easy winner of the $175,000 Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) in the mud 12 months ago on the back of some imposing Queensland Winter Racing Carnival form including the Eye Liner Stakes win at Ipswich.
This year the gelding enjoyed a second-up win two back in the Group 3 BRC Sprint (1350m) on May 18 but was never in the mix when beating home just two rivals to cross seven lengths away 16th in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m).
A drop back in class for the Glasshouse however could also signal a return to form for Belltone who is installed as the equal 59kg topweight, 2.5kg more than the weight they carried to victory last year.
Also on 59kg is the other top-rated Glasshouse Handicap acceptor, the Natalie McCall-trained River Lad.
While Belltone has a wide barrier 14 of 16 draw to overcome on Saturday, River Lad has come up trumps with gate five.
To be ridden by regular hoop Eddie Wilkinson the local Top Echelon five-year-old was last seen running a very brave second to Howmuchdoyouloveme in the Group 3 W.J. Healy Stakes (1200m) just last Saturday with how they handle the seven-day back-up crucial to their chances on Saturday.
There’s just one last start winner in this year’s race with the Barry Lockwood-trained Tokamak drawn in barrier nine with Paul Hammersley to ride.
The in-form five-year-old was last seen winning the Listed Strawberry Road Handicap over the Eagle Farm mile on June 8 where they beat home fellow Caloundra Cup rival Someday.
Also prepared by Kelso Wood, Falvelon four-year-old Someday gets their chance to turn the table on Saturday but has work to do from the ‘visitor’s gate’ 16.
Someday will be ridden by Michael Cahill on the weekend, the hoop having partnered with them just last Saturday for their gallant third behind Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival-bound Fire Up Fifi in the Listed Open Mile (1600m).
Other notable Glasshouse Handicap hopefuls in 2013 then include last year’s runner-up Jetset Lad (barrier four), the Brian Smith-trained Eye Liner Stakes runner-up Meet George (barrier six), Rob Heathcote’s Pellegrini (barrier 12) who was third to Conservatorium in the Eye Liner, and local Encosta De Lago eight-year-old Mystical Grey (barrier 15) who resumed off a five month spell at the Gold Coast earlier this month.
Check out the official 2013 Reed Property Group Glasshouse Handicap field, jockeys, barriers and weights below.
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2013 Glasshouse Handicap Final Field & Barrier Draw
Sunshine Coast Race 7 – 3:05pm (AEST) – 29/06/2013
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Br. | Wgt. | H. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2117x0x510 | BELLTONE | Kelso Wood | Damian Browne | 14 | 59kg | 103 |
| 2 | 27×4113262 | RIVER LAD | Natalie Mccall | Eddie Wilkinson | 5 | 59kg | 103 |
| 3 | 6x2237x697 | PHELAN READY | Jason McLachlan | Glen Colless | 3 | 57.5kg | 100 |
| 4 | 3313215×06 | STAR OF OCTAGONAL | Todd Howlett | – | 7 | 57.5kg | 100 |
| 5 | 445790×000 | GREEN BIRDIE (NZ) | Darlene Duryea | Patrick Holmes | 1 | 57kg | 99 |
| 6 | 43251×7466 | MORNING CAPTAIN | Kelly Doughty | Jim Byrne | 11 | 56.5kg | 98 |
| 7 | x421111421 | TOKAMAK | Barry Lockwood | Paul Hammersley | 9 | 56.5kg | 98 |
| 8 | 0063×37855 | JETSET LAD (NZ) | John Wheeler | Ric McMahon | 4 | 56kg | 97 |
| 9 | 72646×5632 | MEET GEORGE | Brian Smith | Joe Bowditch | 6 | 54.5kg | 94 |
| 10 | 9690×88380 | CELTIC DANCER | Noel J Doyle | Timothy Bell | 10 | 54kg | 93 |
| 11 | x442834620 | DOUBTFUL JACK | Kelly Schweida | – | 2 | 54kg | 91 |
| 12 | 1x08x830x4 | MYSTICAL GREY | Craig Stott | Geoffrey Goold (a) | 15 | 54kg | 91 |
| 13 | 11x01x2523 | SOMEDAY | Kelso Wood | Michael Cahill | 16 | 54kg | 89.5 |
| 14 | 3×87124173 | PELLEGRINI (NZ) | Robert Heathcote | Ryan Wiggins | 12 | 54kg | 87 |
| 15 | 631×113124 | TAX EVADER | Jeffrey Caught | Stephen Baster | 8 | 54kg | 81 |
| 16 | 5832447306 | BEREFT | David Atkins | – | 13 | 54kg | 80 |
