A confidence boosting win last start has new stable acquisition Tempo Man ready to repeat the dose at Lismore on Saturday.
Prepared by Brett Bellamy at Coffs Harbour, Tempo Man lines up in the Liberty/North Coast Petroleum Class 2 Hcp (1516m).
The four-year-old gelding by O’Reilly has had two runs for Bellamy since being purchased as a tried horse by Bellamy’s long-time client Peter Wood.
“He’s gaining in confidence every time he goes around,” Bellamy said. “Hopefully he can live up to his potential. I know they had a bit of a rap on him early on before I got him.”
Tempo Man had his first start for Bellamy coming off a 49-day break when beaten a nose by Complete Secret over 1209m at Coffs Harbour on a heavy 10 track on April 11.
The gelding then scored a 1.3 length win in a 1400m maiden at Taree on April 29 on a slow 6. Tempo Man pinched a three length break on straightening and kept going strongly to the line.
“His two runs for me have both been very good,” Bellamy added. “He was beaten a wart first-up then won well last time.
“He’s a nice horse. A big rangy fella who doesn’t carry a lot of excess weight.
“And he handles wet tracks.
“He’s settled right in and enjoying the country style of life.”
The soft track conditions predicted at Lismore should suit the four-year-old down to the ground.
And stepping up to 1516m “won’t be a problem,” Bellamy suggested.
“I think he’ll get further down the track,” he added.
Tempo Man, a Jasen Watkins mount, has pleased Bellamy since his last start win.
“I don’t work him terribly much but I’ve been happy with everything he’s done,” Bellamy said. “He doesn’t set the world on fire in trackwork but he knows how to put in on raceday and that’s what you want.”
