Coffs Harbour, August 8 – The popular Coffs Harbour Cup meeting was held on Thursday with victory in the featured event going to the Bernie Howlett trained Belmonte, a $25,000 purchase from the draft of Yarraman Park at the 2004 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
A good second at his previous run in the Listed Grafton Cup, Belmonte proved far too good this time around coasting clear over the concluding stages to win the 1600 metre event by more than two lengths.
A classy three year-old earlier in his career when he won a hat-trick of Black Type races including the Group Three BTC Rough Habit Plate and Doomben Classic, Belmonte has the overall record of eight wins and 11 placings from 33 starts and prizemoney of $420,190.
Bred by the Falcon Breeding Syndicate and carrying the brand of Yarraman Park Stud, Belmonte is from the one and only Australian crop sired by globe-trotting champion Singspiel (IRE).
Belmonte is the fifth foal of the stakes-placed Palace Music (USA) mare Misunderstanding, a four time winner up to 1400 metres, and a good producer with four winners to her credit, Belmonte her only stakes-winner.
Misunderstanding has a yearling filly by Catbird and was covered last spring by Magic Albert.