Veteran trainer Mike Reed produced Bettors Pride in splendid shape for the four-year-old’s first-up assignment in the $27,000 Free Entry Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
At his first appearance for 16 weeks Bettors Pride was the $3.80 second favourite from the awkward barrier at No. 6 when he settled down in seventh spot before racing in the prime one-out, one-back position in fourth place after two of his rivals were restrained to the rear after being trapped out wide in the early stages.
After a fast lead time of 35.6sec. and a slow opening quarter of 31.3sec. Goodtime Louis ($5) set a fast pace, with Im Lightning Banner ($8.50) applying pressure from the breeze position. Im Lightning Banner eventually got to a narrow lead 300m from home before being swamped, with Bettors Pride finishing strongly to hit the front with 50m to travel and holding on to win by a metre from Codero ($23).
The winner rated a smart 1.55.7 after final quarters of 28.8sec., 28.7sec. and another 28.7sec. His reinsman Shannon Suvaljko was impressed with his performance, saying: “You would probably be better back a couple of spots, but he did a good job.
“From behind he is lazy, and you have to stay on top of him. Running that time, first-up, was excellent. He is up to the best of the four-year-olds and I’m looking forward to him running in the Golden Nugget in November. He has been racing in good fields and has done very well winning seven times from only twelve starts.”
Victorian-bred Bettors Pride has earned $80,857 from seven wins and one second placing. He is out of Perfect Art mare Art Start, who raced 56 times in Queensland for 14 wins, 12 placings and $45,936. He is a half-brother to seven winners, including Expensive Ego, who earned $992,307 from 25 wins and 13 placings from 57 starts. Early in 2021 Expensive Ego won the Chariots Of Fire and then finished second to King Of Swing in the Miracle Mile before he ran a head second to Boncel Benjamin in the Interdominion Championship final in December that year.
