Kiwi stayer Benzini has been allocated the top weight 59.5kg for the Listed $175,000 The Pump House Caloundra Cup (2400m) at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.

Benzini, above, has been allocated the top weight for the Caloundra Cup at the Sunshine Coast. Photo by Daniel Costello.

The Adrian and Harry Bull trained Benzini had to lump 60kg in the Listed $175,000 Channel 7 Ipswich Cup (2150m) at Ipswich on June 17 when six and three quarter lengths second behind the heavily backed Self Sense.

Self Sense is up 2kg on his Ipswich Cup win with 54kg and will meet Benzini 2.5kg worse off with his 56kg in the Caloundra Cup.

Benzini hasn’t visited the winner’s stall since taking out the 2016 Group 2 $300,000 Evergreen Turf Brisbane Cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm just over twelve months ago and his Ipswich Cup second was his only placing from three starts during the 2017 Queensland Winter Carnival.

Prior to the Ipswich Cup the Tale Of The Cat seven year old had finished fourth at his two previous starts in the Group 3 $125,000 Channel Seven Premier’s Cup (2200m) at Eagle Farm on May 27 and in the Brisbane Cup over 2200m at Doomben on June 10.

The David Brideoke trained Self Sense had also been out of the winner’s circle prior to his Ipswich Cup win for an extended period of that stretched back to his win in the 2015 Listed $130,000 Kilmore Cup (1600m) at Kilmore.

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Supply And Demand has been handicapped with 55.5kg and will be chasing a hat trick of wins in the Caloundra Cup following two wins at Rosehill over 1800m and 2000m at his last two starts.

Mister Impatience from the Mike Moroney stable is coming of a last start seventh in the Premier’s Cup and has been allocated 54.5kg in the Caloundra Cup.

The rest of the Caloundra Cup nominees have been handicapped on the 54kg minimum and includes Mister Impatience’s stablemate Araldo Junior and the Darren Weir trained Neverland.

Neverland showed plenty of staying ability when trained in West Australia and was runner up in the last two runnings of the Group 2 $500,000 Perth Cup over 2400m at Ascot in January, 2016 and December, 2016.

The Kelvin Hickmott trained War Baby is also showing her liking for the longer distances and after scoring a six and half lengths win in a 2150m BenchMark 80 Handicap at Ipswich on Ipswich Cup, the five year old mare ran a gusty race to finish third behind Rudy and More Energy in the Group 3 $200,000 Carlton Mid Tattersall’s Cup (2200m) at Doomben last Saturday.

Weights for the 2017 Caloundra Cup (2400m)