A favourable barrier draw at No. 3 has thrust eight-year-old Bettors Fire into the limelight and gives the Kyle Harper-trained gelding a strong winning chance in the second qualifying heat of the $75,000 TABtouch Interdominion Championship at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Bettors Fire possesses sparkling gate speed and Harper appears certain to get the handsome New Zealand-bred gelding past his inside runners Phoenix Warrior and Our Blackbird and straight to the front.
Bettors Fire has rarely been beaten after leading and he should prove hard to beat, particularly if he is able to run through the lead time and the opening section of the final mile at a moderate pace.
Ohoka Punter, drawn as the sole runner off the back line, is suffering from a lung infection and has been scratched from the series. Coming in to replace Ohoka Punter is the speedy Ima Connoisseur. Smolda (outside of the front line) has drawn poorly, but is a class performer who appears one of the chief dangers to Bettors Fire.
Trainer Gary Hall sen. said that Ohoka Punter had made a sound recovery from an attack of colic which laid the seven-year-old low early last week, but was now affected by a lung infection.
Champion New Zealand trainer-reinsman Mark Purdon said that eight-year-old Smolda was in top shape and ready for a strong performance.
“He’s great, the old fellow,” Purdon said. “He has settled in well at Gary Elson’s property. Not much worries him and he doesn’t take anything extra out of himself. He is just a lovely horse and his work has been good.
“He gives you nothing to get excited about, but he looks good, his blood is good and I’m sure he’s ready to go well.”
Smolda warmed up for the series with a sound fourth behind brilliant stablemate Lazarus in the 320p0m New Zealand Cup at Addington on November 8. He worked hard before getting to the front after 600m and then relinquished the lead 600m later.
At his previous start he settled in sixth position before working hard without cover and fighting on to finish second to the pacemaker Franco Nelson in the 2400m Kaikoura Cup. A fortnight earlier he started from 30m and settled in ninth place before moving to the breeze at the bell and talking the lead with 1000m to travel and winning easily from Seel The Deal in the Methven Cup, a 3000m group 3 event on a grass track.
John of Arc, trained at Herron by Clive Dalton, will have supporters despite his awkward draw at barrier five. The lightly-raced, injury-plagued seven-year-old is likely to race in the breeze and should fight out the finish. He has done a good share of work before winning stylishly at his past two starts over 2130m at Gloucester Park.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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