Bettors Delight - sire of star pacer Bettors Fire
Budding star Bettors Fire will resume after an eight-month absence when he starts from the outside of the back line in the $19,500 Developwest Unit Developments Pace over 1730m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Trainer-reinsman Kyle Harper admitted that the New Zealand-bred six-year-old faced a stern test from his unfavourable barrier.
“It’s a difficult barrier over the mile, with a lot of horses in front of us,” Harper said. “I’m really happy with him, but with the times they can run these days it is tough from a bad draw.
“I think that he is a far better horse than anything in the field, but he will need a good bit of luck. He’s as tough as any of them and he can run the mile. He’s gone 1.53.8, hard held, winning the Mount Eden Sprint (beating Im Victorious by 8m last November). And he was probably underdone that night.
“I’d love him to win first-up, but I’m not in any rush to give him a gut buster first-up. If he had drawn (well) and was able to lead I’d say he would win by panels.”
Bettors Fire has been a revelation since arriving from New Zealand and his 13 WA starts have produced eight wins and two seconds. His wins last season included the Mount Eden Sprint, Navy Cup and Bunbury Cup.
He has not raced since he worked hard without cover and finished fifth behind Hokonui Ben in the 2936m WA Pacing Cup last January after setting the pace and finishing second to Im Victorious in the 2536m Fremantle Cup a week earlier.
“He is pretty well rounded, but he always has been and he always races in a very large condition,” Harper said. “He has had a couple of trials at Byford. Last Sunday week Famous Alchemist went 1.56, so I just sat him back on the rail because he wasn’t ready to go 1.56. I just rated him back at about a 1.58 or 1.59 bat and he hit the line hard held, bolting”.
“Then in a 2550m stand on Sunday he sat four back on the pegs before I pulled him out at the 1200m. He whizzed around them. I actually wanted to sit outside the leader and have a bit of a solid trial.
“Glow Bright was in front and he switched off a bit, and my bloke, being fresh, grabbed the bit and pulled himself to the front. Hey got home in 57sec. and 27.8sec.. It was a nice trial and he pulled up well.
“He’s got a long campaign ahead of him and long-range plans include contesting the Cups and feature sprints at Christmas. Hopefully he’ll take the next step, and if he does I’ll take him to Sydney for the interdominion championship in March.”
Miss Madoff a star bet
A fighting second to the brilliant Libertybelle Midfrew last Friday night has stamped Miss Madoff as a star bet in the 2130m Ross North Homes Display Series Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The New Zealand-bred six-year-old, trained at Boyanup by Justin Prentice, is awkwardly drawn at No. 5 on the front line, but she has the pace and ability to overcome that disadvantage.
She began speedily from barrier five in last week’s event over 1730m and worked hard in the breeze outside the pacemaking Libertybelle Midfrew before fighting on with grim determination to be second, just 2m from the winner who sped over the final 800m in 56.2sec.
Prentice has an excellent second string in Bettor Dreams, who is unfavourably drawn on the outside of the front line. She raced wide early before gaining a good sit in the one-out, one-back position before she finished strongly to win from The Oyster Bar and Loving You over 2100m at Bunbury last Sunday week. That was her 11th win from 29 starts.
