Drawing out wide at No. 7 is not fazing Bettors Fire’s trainer-reinsman Kyle Harper, who is confident the six-year-old will prove hard to beat in the $23,000 Princi Butchers Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“The small field of nine will suit Bettors Fire and I’ll have the option of going forward out of the gate or sitting him up and relying on a strong finish,” Harper said.
“I’m really happy with him and he should fight out the finish. I was ecstatic with his latest run (when a close third to Crusader Banner and Red Salute last Friday week) and the way he ran his last half. He bounced back very well from the week before (when he burst to the front from barrier six and set the pace before wilting to fifth behind Waylade and Lovers Delight over 2536m).
“I think Our Jimmy Johnstone is the horse to beat. He was unlucky in defeat last week. He did it the hard way and the winner (Classic American) set a track record when he rated 1.52.6 over 1730m.
”I’m keeping Bettors Fire nice and unders at the moment; it’s more about conditioning for later dates than actually getting him where he needs to be to win races. Fortunately, he’s a very good horse who goes well unders and can run some of his best races when he’s underdone.
“Everything is on track for the interdominion championships later in the year. Hopefully he will develop into one of the main contenders.”
Co-trainer Skye Bond said that Our Jimmy Johnstone was on target for the interdominion series. “It doesn’t bother him having hard runs in a short space of time,” she said. “The tougher it is, the better he likes it. He was a certainty beaten at his latest start and he worked well this (Tuesday) morning.”
Our Jimmy Johnstone raced four wide in the early stages of a 1730m sprint last Friday night before working hard in the breeze outside the pacemaker Machtu. He fought on determinedly when second to Classic American, who made full use of a freak inside run over the final 425m.
Trainer Ross Olivieri, fresh from preparing four winners last Friday night, said that Dynamite Dude faced a stern test from the outside barrier in the field of nine, as did stablemate Red Salute from barrier six.
Dynamite Dude reappeared after an absence of five months when he fought on from tenth at the bell to finish seventh behind Crusader Banner over 2130m last Friday week. “He was clocked privately to run the final mile in 1.55.5 and got home good,” Olivieri said. “He’s ready to put his best foot forward, but he hasn’t got the draw to do it this week.”
Champion trainer Gary Hall sen. said that Northview Punter (barrier five) was capable of improving on his five unplaced runs since resuming from a spell. “He’s a chance and I’m not over rapt on Our Jimmy Johnstone or Bettors Fire.”
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