by Graham Fischer
Tough pacer Bettor Party picked up his third cup in South Australia with an impressive, and easy victory, in the 2017 UBET Victor Harbor Pacing Cup (2160m) before an excellent crowd on Easter Sunday.
A well backed $3.10 favourite, Bettor Party came around the field to sit outside the leader before sprinting away at the top of the home straight to win untouched by seven metres.
Driver Danielle Hill sat quiet over the final stages as the WA-owned pacer added the Victor Harbor Cup to his trophy collection alongside the Kadina and Gawler Cups.
For trainer Les Harding it was his first Victor Harbor Cup win and he now puts Bettor Party in the top echelon of horses he has trained.
Harding has always felt ill-fated Zanardi, a winner of 16 races in just over 12 months of racing for the stable was the best but acknowledges Bettor Party is really making an impression.
The seven-year-old has now won five races from just 12 starts since coming into his stable from Western Australia where he is still owned.
“To be honest David (son David Harding, stable foreman) deserves all the credit because I have never sat behind him,” Harding said.
“We each have our own horses which we work and David took Bettor Party when he came into the stable.”
Bettor Party came away quickly from gate six but driver Danielle Hill said she was a bit concerned when there was plenty of early speed.
“I was out wide and there was plenty of pressure,” Hill said.
“Fortunately, I was able to go forward along the back and get to the spot outside the leader (Oceans Predator).
“He travelled really well and basically pulled his way to the front coming off the back and once in the home straight I knew he wouldn’t be caught.”
Adam Cartwright ($3.40) came from last to grab second by a nose from Smiling Crest ($38.70).
Bettor Party broke the track record rating 1:57.9 to better the previous best of 1:59.0 recorded by Glenferrie Hustler on December 26, 2013.
The winner ran final quarters of 28.2 and 28.7 off the front making it impossible for Adam Cartwright to win after giving away a 30 metre start down the back straight.
Harding said he would just look for local races for Bettor Party.
“As well as he is going, it is a tough contract going to Victoria to take on their horses on their tracks,” he said.
“We took him to Mildura for the Cup and he found it too tough taking on Major Crocker.”
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