Bettor Fortune, a highly promising three-year-old, continues to emerge as a leading hope for the $200,000 WA Derby on October 31, and he will only get better said Deni Roberts after driving him to an easy win in the $21,000 Sunrise On Seven Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The New Zealand-bred Bettor Fortune, prepared by leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, was the $1.20 favourite from out wide at barrier eight, and Roberts wasted little time in sending him forward in the first circuit to move to the breeze outside the frontrunning Bettor Arcade ($12) 1200m from home before taking a narrow lead with 470m to travel and then surging away to win by 4m from $18 chance Hale Saint Louie, rating 1.57.6 after final quarters of 28.7sec. and 28.5sec.
“He was really strong in the preliminary and I was happy that was able to relax very well after that,” said Roberts. “We haven’t seen the bottom of him yet, and he has that good horse gear and it will take some nice three-year-olds to bring that out of him. He is the stable’s No. 1 seed and I’m looking forward to the Derby.”
Bettor Fortune now has raced six rimes for five wins. He finished last in a race for two-year-olds at Addington in May last year before winning easily at Ascot Park at his next outing, late last October. He has not been extended in winning at his four starts in WA.
A few years ago, Victorian breeder Sal Ferraro and members of his family enjoyed good success in Western Australia with their pacer Braeview Bondi, who won nine times in Victoria before entering Michael Brennan’s stables and racing 30 times in WA for six wins and ten placings in 2019 and 2020. Braeview Bondi then went to the United States where he won another 29 races and retired with a record of 232 starts for 44 wins, 70 placings and stakes of $622,858.
Braeview Bondi was the first foal out of Badlands Hanover mare Braeview Creation (25 starts in Victoria for three wins, 11 placings and $53,000), and recently the Ferraro family decided to try their luck in WA with Braeview Creation’s fifth foal, a five-year-old gelding by Always B Miki named The Iron Duke.
The Iron Duke arrived at the Boyanup stables of Justin Prentice about six weeks ago and he made an impressive WA debut with a smart victory in the $21,000 Ashes On Seven Pace over 2130m on Friday night.
The Iron Duke was the $1.80 favourite from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line, with Gary Hall in the sulky. Malakie ($3.90) set the pace from barrier five, and she was joined in the breeze by The Iron Duke after a lap.
The Iron Duke travelled well without cover before getting to the front on the home turn and winning by a length from Malakie, rating 1.58.3 after final quarters of 29.3sec. and 28.9sec.
