QUINDELOP returns to racing when the Lower Belford gelding contests today’s $35,000 Coolmore Sky Racing Gold Denman Cup (1280m), the first leg of a Muswellbrook Race Club series at Skellatar Park.
The five-year-old gelding son of Spinning World has not raced since mid-June when fifth to Thumbtacks in a 1500m Benchmark 80 at Rosehill but his trainer Todd Howlett believes he is forward enough to win the Denman Cup.
“He has won first up before,” Howlett said.
“He’s done the work. I couldn’t be happier with him.
“I think he’ll run real well – not saying he’ll win because it is a hard race and he is up in a tough grade.
“He has the ability though.”
Quindelop has won seven of his 16 starts including a brilliant five in succession last time in.
That winning run started at Muswellbrook where he won a 1280m B60 in February and led to victories at Wyong, Taree and Tamworth before annexing the 1600m Gunnedah Cup on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 13.
It was an exciting time for Howlett and his owners, brothers John (Coolah) and Phil Duggan (South Coast).
“They bred him too and have got a full brother just come into the stable,” Howlett said of the three-year-old.
“He’s a nice horse too.”
Quindelop proved he is a “nice horse” last preparation with his winning sequence.
He’s also won on heavy going and wasn’t that far away from Thumbtacks on a heavy Rosehill surface last time out.
The break has done the gelding good too and he could furnish into a topliner for Howlett, who is aiming at a triple Muswellbrook race series first.
“Yeah, all going well we’ll chase this Cup series at Muswellbrook – the South Muswellbrook Cup and then the Muswellbrook Cup would be nice,” Howlett said.
The South Muswellbrook Cup is a $20,000 Cup over 1450m on Tuesday, October 16 while the 1500m Muswellbrook Cup (1500m) will be raced Tuesday, November 6.