Gerald Ryan’s classy sprinter-miler Adnocon showed last Saturday they were ready for a re-match with the Robert Heathcote-trained Woorim in the upcoming Glasshouse Handicap at the Sunshine Coast after successfully defending their Eye Liner Stakes title at Ipswich.
Dual Eye Liner Stakes winner Adnocon will next race in the Glasshouse Handicap at the Sunshine Coast
Clang five-year-old Adnocon ($10) scored a gutsy first-up victory in the $175,000 Listed Eye Liner Stakes (1350m) for the second year in a row at Ipswich on Saturday.
Ridden by Damian Browne, the hoop having his first set of rides since resuming from a suspension, the winner able to hold off Rob Heathcote’s fast-finishing favourite Gundy Son ($4.40) by a quarter of a length while the James Lyons-trained Drenalin ($8.50) was a brave third just a neck further away.
“I’m proud of the horse,” Ryan said of Adnocon after the Eye Liner win.
“I set him for the Eye Liner in January and it all worked out.
“He had had a great preparation and was fit to win first-up.”
The Eye Liner Stakes was Adnocon’s first run since February and Ryan is now confident the horse can continue with their Queensland Winter Carnival campaign by turning the tables on Woorim in the $175,000 Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) on Caloundra Cup Day, July 2.
“As long as the track is dry he will go to the Glasshouse,” Ryan confirmed on Saturday.
Twelve months ago Adnocon won the 2010 Eye Liner Stakes before backing up two weeks later to finish a length away second to last year’s Glasshouse Handicap winner Woorim, and the pair are now set for a rematch in the feature.
“He was second last year to Woorim who he will probably have to face again,” said Ryan.
“But Woorim has had a tough winter campaign and Adnocon hasn’t so hopefully we can go on better this time.”
Heathcote’s highly-promising Show A Heart five-year-old Woorim enjoyed a narrow Group win during the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival taking out the BRC Sprint (1350m) at Doomben on May 21.
Last start Woorim stepped up to elite level company for the first time finishing four lengths away seventh behind $1 million Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap winner Sincero at Eagle Farm on June 11.
