By Stephen Senise
Age will not weary rising ten-year-old and topweight Glen Ord, when he steps out on his home turf in the $30,000 City Fleet Maintenance Beaudesert Cup.
The Di Murphy-trained gelding will be looking to improve on last year's third in the 1650m Cup feature behind Snippetspeed and Two Smokin Barrels.
Just like last year, he will again be topweight with 58kg and early markets suggest he should be prominent in the finish.
He is on the fourth line of betting in the early markets at $9, with the Kuzco, trained by Mark Currie, installed as the $2.15 favourite on TAB Queensland.
As of Friday morning, the track was rated heavy, albeit with drying conditions prevailing and sunny skies extending into the weekend.
Di says she'd love to see the evergreen miler take out the cup, for the owners.
“He thinks he's a two-year-old, he's that good and content – he's trained-on fine,” she said.
Glen Ord winning at Doomben in October last year
After trailing in last place for most of last year's event, Glen Ord was forced wide around every other runner on a heavy track.
Looming large in the straight, the big effort caught up with him and he was unable to match motors with Snippetspeed, and Two Smokin Barrels.
While Allan Chau had the reins last year, apprentice Wendy Peel has been the regular rider more recently and will be in charge this time, although she does not claim in the country.
“He's had a good little prep," Di said.
“He'll be right there if things go his way and I hope he'll be handy enough in the running to let down on that short, little straight."
The Beaudesert-trained Lemon Duchess is in fine form and is rated a $5 chance, as is Azarmin from the Kris Lees stable.
The Greg Cornish-trained Lemon Duchess, who will be ridden by promising apprentice Jasmine Cornish, has already notched up three wins in heavy going and has won at the track.