03 May 2018 | Ken Casellas
Evergreen nine-year-old Bettors Fire was a certainty beaten last Friday night and he looks set to make amends by scoring an all-the-way victory in the $25,000 www.gannons.com.au Pace over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Bettors Fire, a winner of 35 races, will start from the No. 2 barrier in the field of nine and trainer Kyle Harper will be anxious to fire the handsome gelding straight to the front.
Harper was disappointed in a 2130m event last Friday night when Bettors Fire, from out wide at barrier eight, slightly misjudged the start and was beaten for early speed.
With smart frontrunner Vultan Tin setting the pace, Harper quickly manoeuvred Bettors Fire into the commanding one-out, one-back position. However, Bettors Fire was badly hemmed in and blocked for a clear passage for much of the final circuit.
Finally, Bettors Fire saw daylight and he sprinted home fast to finish an unlucky fourth behind Vultan Tin, the Phil Costello-trained six-year-old who faces a far tougher task this week from the outside barrier (No. 9).
Looming as the main danger to Bettors Fire is nine-year-old Our Jimmy Johnstone, who is racing with great heart for Forrestdale trainer Skye Bond and reinsman Ryan Warwick.
Our Jimmy Johnstone will start from barrier seven and Warwick is likely to make an early forward move to put the oldtimer into the race. Our Jimmy Johnstone went forward from barrier four in last week’s race and he ran home full of determination after racing without cover.
The Mike Reed-trained Shandale will reappear after a spell and will begin from barrier four with Shannon Suvaljko in the sulky. The New Zealand-bred five-year-old is sure to appreciate a drop in class after competing against Lazarus, Chicago Bull, Soho Tribeca and Tiger Tara during his previous campaign.
Zennart, a winner at ten of his 17 starts, rises in class and faces a very tough assignment, particularly from barrier eight.
Punters should finish the ten-event program on a successful note by supporting the highly-promising Simba Bromac in the final event, the 2130m Find Gannon’s On Facebook Pace.
The four-year-old, trained by Nathan Turvey, will be driven by Chris Lewis, who is sure to attempt an all-the-win from the favourable No. 2 barrier on the front line. Simba Bromac, who has won at 12 of his 21 starts, looks destined for bigger and better things and Turvey makes no secret that he is the best pacer in his stable.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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