Bel to star in Handicap
Story By by Gary Crispe
Saturday, 12 August 2006:  | | Lee Freedman |
The race, one of the traditional spring starting points for many classy gallopers, is an ideal race for the smart entire who sneaks into the line-up with just 52kg.
But not only does he have the light weight he has a distinct fitness advantage over his better performed rivals and is also a winner at his only start at the course.
Prepared by Lee Freedman, the Danehill four-year-old won his first two starts, including a soft win here, before tackling stakes grade at his next three starts.
Although he didn’t break through he ran well in each, finishing fourth in the Zedative Stakes behind the unbeaten Minson, third behind Thin And Crispy in the Listed Wellington Race Club Stakes then fourth in the Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes behind Spinney.
After a spell he was beaten a nose in a photo finish with a massive weight at Sandown before tackling the Listed Monash Stakes when fourth behind Sassbee where he covered ground and ran well.
Today he tackles a tougher race but will be much fitter and drops a massive 5kg as he returns to handicap conditions.
Barrier four might be against him if the better going is out towards the outside fence but he has the pace over this sort of journey to slide across the field if necessary.
In form rider Craig Newitt is aboard and the entire won’t get a better chance to open his stakes winning account.
Another with fitness on his side is General Conclusion who will prove the value runner.
Prepared by Tony Vasil at Caulfield, General Conclusion is hard fit after racing through the winter and comes into the race not only in good form but nicely in at the weights.
Two starts back he was a soft winner over the course and distance, before drawing wide last start and covering ground throughout, tiring over the final stages behind Maybe Better.
It would pay to forget the run though as he had a torrid run and transit and had to drop out having nothing left at the finish.
He drops back to 1200m today and has had two tries at the straight track – winning two starts back and finishing runner-up in the Creswick Stakes earlier in his career.
With just 53kg today he will roll forward from barrier 10 and can spring quickly so should prove hard to run down.
At the generous odds available he looks a top each-way chance.
Talented mare Chetwynd South resumes from a spell and should be hitting the line hard.
The mare, in the Jim Conlon yard, had five runs this campaign including a first-up win at Moonee Valley last campaign.
She then broke through for a stakes win over 1200m at Sandown Lakeside before run a solid race without much luck in the Group 1 Australia Stakes behind Virage De Fortune.
She then drew the inside and got back in the Group 1 Sangster Stakes, which was a race dominated by the leader and well away from the fence.
At her last run before a break she tackled a good race with 57kg at Moonee Valley and battled on well for third behind Fullazz.
The mare is unbeaten from two starts first-up and will be strongest at the finish over 1200m.
Conlon has had her ready for two recent races but hasn’t been happy with her and kept her for this so she is certainly ready to run a big race.
With a light weight she will prove hard to hold out.
Those three look the best winning chances but it would be no surprise to see the top three in the weights feature in the finish.
Valedictum, prepared by Danny O’Brien, finished runner-up in this race last start and although likely to be getting ready for a race like the Toorak has a good record fresh and will be charging late.
Likewise, talented galloper Apache Cat, one of the stars of the autumn, has a big weight but has a class edge and should run a big race fresh as he heads towards longer races.
El Segundo, back from injury that forced him from last year’s Melbourne Cup, will no doubt be nowhere near ready but has a good fresh-up record and is a class act who will be working home strongly.
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