Always B Miki gelding Always Bettor made a winning debut when claiming the first heat of the Fehlbergs Produce 2YO Colts & Geldings Sweepstakes (1609m) in Hobart on Sunday night.
From inside of the second-row, the Leigh Rand-trained pacer ended up three-back the inside at the bell, and was inclined to over race, before driver Jordan Chibnall got the pacer into the clear at the top of the home straight and finished off best late to score by 1.5m over Rainbow Ranger ($7.50) with Barber Shop ($2.50 fav) third in a time of 2:00.1
The pacer had market support, with the Tasmanian official opening price being at $5 before starting as a $3.30 chance.
“He trialled good last week and we were pretty confident with him,” said part-owner Paul Carlson.
“Jordy said he wanted to go too quickly when he went a bit rough on the home turn and in the straight.
“As soon as I broke him in, he has always shown something. He does have a few little quirks, but he has a brain,” Carlson explained.
The pacer who is out of Bettor Be Aware, who is a half-relation to many top pacers, including Lourdes, Make A Memory, Dare We Dream and Colsta, to just name a few, and was purchased for $18,000 at last year’s Nutrien Tasmanian Standardbred Yearling Sale.
“I went to buy another one at the sale, and I offered $18,000, and they wanted $20,000. I saw Leigh Dornauf, and he told me to have a look at this bloke. I went and had a look at him and bought him.”
Carlson gave the pacer a trial in March, before sending her to trainer Leigh Rand after he was involved in a track work accident.
“I had an accident a few months ago, and I had a bad concussion and a few other things, and I couldn’t do anything with the horses, and the Rands rang me and offered to take him, and they have done a real good job with him.”
In the first heat of the Fehlbergs Produce 2YO Fillies Sweepstakes, Daisypea ($2.10) recorded a 12.7m win.
Dylan Ford had the Tammy Langley-trained pacer positioned three-back on the pegs in a slowly run race, before racing away from her rivals from the top of the home straight.
The win was the first leg of a double for the Ford-Langley combination, winning with two-year-old filly Arrhythmia ($1.30 fav), winning a 55 to 59 rating event.
Also recording a winning double was trainer Rodney Ashwood, who drove Maninky Moonshine ($3.50 fav), before winning the last race with The Bride ($1.22 fav), who Ricky Duggan drove.
Wayne Yole also prepared a double with We Salute You ($10) and Watermelon Sugar ($2.80 fav). Mitch Ford drove both.
