Bet N Win wins fifth in a row

By Adam Hamilton

The hype was big and the performance just as big.

Exciting young Kiwi trotter Bet N Win made quite a splash at his Aussie debut in last night’s Stellar Square at Albion Park.

And he looks to have next week’s $150,000 Group 1 Great Square at his mercy.

Driver Bob Butt avoided a messy early scrimmage to settle outside the leader and main danger, classy Victorian mare Rockinwithattitude, but it was clear coming to the final bend the Kiwi had her covered.

Butt gave the David and Stacey White-trained Bet N Win as easy a time as possible as he cruised to a 2.5m over Rocknwithattitude with another 17.3m away to the third placegetter, Koda Da Moda.

They trotted a slick 1min56.3sec mile rate for the 2138m trip.

It was Bet N Win’s fifth successive win and his fourth from as many starts this season.

Butt’s big night continued 30 minutes later when Pandaia, a mare he trained and drove in NZ, caused a huge upset to win the Queen Of Hearts at Albion Park.

The four-year-old is now trained and driven by Rickie Alchin and upstaged hot favourite Tay Tay to win by a half-head.

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Champion pacer Leap To Fame made a lie of his recent shock Redcliffe defeat when he returned to winning form in stunning style at Albion Park last night.

In complete contrast to Redcliffe, when District Attorney stalked him and out-dashed Leap To Fame, this time the champ crushed him.

Crossed at the start as expected by Turn It Up, Dixon quickly extricated Leap To Fame and moved him around to sit parked outside of District Attorney, who took the front from Turn It Up.

It was clear before the home turn that Leap To Fame had District Attorney beaten and he easily held-off the stalking Cantfindabettorman to win by 3.6m in a scorching 1min50.6sec mile rate for 1690m in the Wondais Mate.

Leap To Fame broke his rivals with a remarkable 26.2sec split down the back and still ran home in 27.5sec.

It was a statement performance ahead of the $200,000 Group 1 Sunshine Sprint on July 20 and the $400,000 Group 1 Blacks A Fake a week later.

Trainer-driver Grant Dixon said he would consider backing-up Leap To Fame in next Saturday’s Mr Feelgood if he felt it was the right move.

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Suddenly next week’s $350,000 Group 1 Rising Sun at Albion Park looks a lot more open.

Chariots Of Fire winner Frankie Ferocious had a stranglehold on favouritism for the race – as well as the $2.1mil TAB Eureka – before a shock first-up flop at Albion Park last night.

Punters crunched the four-year-old into $1.65 favourite first-up off the back of some sparkling recent trials, but he ran miles below his best.

All looked good early when driver Cam Hart ripped Frankie Ferocious off the gate from a wide draw and worked forward to find the lead in the 1690m race.

But it was clear coming to the home bend he was in strife and Frankie Ferocious dropped out to finish second-last, almost 16m behind winner Deus Ex.

Frankie Ferocious was $1.80 favourite for next week’s Rising Sun before the defeat.

It now creates a huge dilemma for punters going into next week.

Frankie Ferocious’ four previous runs since joining Jason Grimson’s stable had netted three wins and a fourth in the Miracle Mile.

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Reigning New Zealand Cup winner Swayzee will be back in action at Albion Park next Saturday night.

Trainer Jason Grimson treated the powerhouse staying for a “snotty nose” after his surprise defeat at Albion Park on June 22.

Swayzee had impressively won his only two previous runs this campaign at Menangle.

Grimson will use this week’s 2138m Mr Feelgood to sharpen-up Swayzee for his title defence in the $400,000 Group 1 Blacks A Fake at Albion Park two weeks later.

And Grimson said it was now looking “very likely” Swayzee would return to defend in his NZ Cup crown in November.

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A couple of former Kiwis joined the feature winners at Albion Park last night.

Five-year-old trotter Gus, now trained by Chantal Turpin and driven by Pete McMullen, thrashed his rivals and continued his hot form with an 11m win in the Group 2 Darrell Alexander final.

It was Gus’ 12th win from just 28 starts.

Later, Art Major four-year-old Aroda continued his hot streak to win the $53,040 Queensland Son and book a spot in next week’s $350,000 Group 1 Rising Sun.

Just a week earlier, Aroda upstaged a strong field when he led throughout and broke the track record in the Group 2 Redcliffe Cup.

It was a quinella for trainer Grant Dixon in the Queensland Sun with Aroda winning with his wife Trista aboard and Dixon finishing second on Free Thinker.

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Boom WA pacer Never Ending returns to racing at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

The four-year-old, who boasts 14 wins from just 18 starts, is one of the top contenders for the world’s richest harness race, the $2.1mil TAB Eureka at Menangle on September 7.

Never Ending hasn’t raced since striking trouble and galloping at a crucial stage in the $1.25mil Group 1 Nullarbor at Gloucester Park on April 19.

“He’s come back really well and this will be the first of two, maybe even three runs, before we take him across early to Sydney,” trainer-driver Justin Prentice said.

“Menangle is such a different track to Gloucester Park, so I want to run him in a 2300m there (Menangle) two weeks ahead of the TAB Eureka.

“We’ll look to go across in early August so he can trial or at least have a good workout at Menangle before that first race.”

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Kiwi-bred gelding Like A Wildfire just keeps delivering for champion stable Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin.

The nine-year-old charged home to beat some quality pacers in the Preux Chevalier free-for-all at Melton last night.

It was the son of Big Jim’s 28th win from just 82 starts and took his earnings past $420,000.

Like A Wildfire is defying his age with wins from three past four starts this campaign and four of his past five.