Jockey Chris Munce claimed his most important win since his return from cancer treatment when he steered Belltone to win the Group Three BRC Sprint at Doomben on Saturday.
Munce spent three months out of the saddle after undergoing chemotherapy for throat cancer in February.
He has been back riding for the past month and has steadily been getting back to his best form.
“It is great to be back and it is also great to be riding big winners for trainers like Kelso Wood who have stuck by me,” Munce said.
Wood and Munce had earlier combined with favourite Sizzling who was an unlucky sixth in the Fred Best Classic.
But memories of that race were quickly erased when Belltone ($9) scored by a length to Mahisara ($6) with a long head to Listen Son ($15) in third place.
Wood has a soft spot for Belltone who he trained to win six straight races last year.
He said Belltone would now be set for the Group One Stradbroke Hcp (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 8.
“Belltone would have won the race last year if he had got a chance,” Wood said.
“He didn’t get into the field.
“He showed at his last start he was on course to run a big race in the Stradbroke and he confirmed it today.”
Belltone will not have another run before the Stradbroke but he will need to overcome a major hoodoo to win it as no horse has ever completed the BRC Sprint-Stradbroke double.
Wood said Belltone was the type of horse who could do it because he can race handy.
“He can miss a lot of the trouble by racing that way,” Wood added.
Mahisara had been expected to lead but finished on strongly from fifth on the turn to be second.
Listen Son pleased his jockey Michael Rodd with the way he fought on in the straight after leading.
“It was a nice run and he is much better at Eagle Farm, ” Rodd said.
