Weight query for Bondo in Adelong Cup

Coming off a sixth in the Ted Ryder Cup, Bondo lines up in the Adelong Cup (1400m) at Gundagai on Tuesday.

Tumut trainer Kerry Weir is confident he has the best horse in the race, but giving away so much weight to all his rivals is a big concern.

Bondo will carry 60 kilograms with Trevor Sutherland’s Kappy Cino next in the weights with 54.5kgs.

“He’d have to be a show,” Weir said.

“He’s been racing pretty good, his run the other day wasn’t too bad and he’s back to the 1400 on a track he likes.

“The only thing is he has to give them at least six kilos and that is a lot of weight to give away, but I think he’s earned it and his form has been pretty consistent.”

Bondo last won in August over the same track and distance and has been placed in four of his last five starts.

That included a second to Class Clown in the Ted Ryder Cup Prelude two starts back before finishing sixth, beaten less than fourth lengths by Spunlago in the Murrumbidgee Turf Club’s summer feature.

Weir believes they are all things in his favour.

“He loves Gundagai, loves the 1400, he has trouble getting the 1600 just like the other day, but he has to be a bit of a chance,” he said.

“He’s never far away and it’s a massive drop in class.”

Megan Taylor takes the ride.

Weir also lines up Emerald Ice, but doesn’t have the same expectations after he missed a run on Boxing Day.

He rated County Limerick the hardest to beat.

Andrew Sheahan’s charge made completed a hat-trick of wins at Tumut in November and was fourth on the track in his last run.

With Belinda Wright’s claim he’ll only carry 51 kilograms. 

“It is probably the danger as he’s trained on the track and horses trained at Gundagai are hard to beat at Gundagai,” Weir said.

Weir has strong representation across the five-race card with seven of his team engaged.

Besides Bondo, he’s hoping for a better performance from Lady Patrika in the opening race.

“Lady Patrika was a little disappointing on Boxing Day, she had a very hard run after getting back last and had to come about eight wide to cover a lot of ground, but I’ve freshened her up a little bit and back to the 1180 should suit her,” Weir said.

“I don’t think she will be too far away.”

Weir also has Dante Pierro and Stafford out to break their maiden status after recent placings, but both have been trying for a while to bring up that elusive first win.

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