NZ HARNESS NEWS
There is a touch of irony about how Dunedin trainer Graeme Anderson’s two horses will line up at Gore on Saturday.
Bettor Sensation will seek redemption after he was knocked out of his last start at Ascot Park when he starts in the Gore meeting’s fast-class mobile pace.
Anderson’s other runner, Command Lustre, has much of his fate resting with the horse that Bettor Sensation had his last-start run-in with.
Command Lustre has drawn one on the second row in the last event on the Gore card and follows out Franco Huntington.
Bettor Sensation returns to racing after having a short break to clear his head after his last-start skirmish with Franco Huntington.
The break has Bettor Sensation recharged and ready to avenge his shock last-start defeat.
“He had a week off to get over himself and since then he has worked up quite nicely, so he has quite a good chance I think,” Anderson said.
Bettor Sensation meets an even line up of pacers, some that have already had hit outs this season and others that return for their first starts of the season.
Handy four-year-olds and stablemates, Lawrence and Kilowatt Kid, have both looked primed for their returns at recent trials and workouts.
Delight My Soul has the advantage of recent racing and has looked good since returning from a northern campaign.
The chance of good early speed setting up a hot race tempo could provide the best circumstances for Bettor’s Sensation to take down his rivals.
“He is a good stayer, he doesn’t take anything out of himself, sometimes I wish he would get on the bit because he is loping along not worrying about things.”
“He is a typical Bettor’s Delight.”
“He has just got an awkward draw at six and there is a bit of speed inside him, but he will probably go forward, we will see what happens.”
If Franco Huntington leads in race 10 he could make up for his and driver Anthony McDonald’s wayward last start effort by handing Command Lustre a cosy run in the trail.
But Anderson is not expecting the race to play out that way.
“That would be nice, but there is a bit of speed there and I would say we could end up three-back on the markers.”
Saturday’s feature race sees highly touted filly The Empress attempt to remain unbeaten.
The Robin Swain-trained filly will step out in the Lady Ship Stakes Final against her own sex over 1700m.
Classy trotter Majestic Man has his second race of the season in the meeting’s fast-class trot.
The Phil Williamson-trained four-year-old is chasing a penalty free win for junior driver, Charlotte Purvis, before he is set for the New Zealand Cup carnival.
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