Bettorstartdreaming looks smart

Lightly-raced four-year-old Bettorstartdreaming was far from disgraced when he finished fifth behind rising New Zealand superstar Self Assured at Alexandra Park last December and he is sure to appreciate a drop in class when he starts from the No. 2 barrier in the Mondo Doro Smallgoods Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

A winner at four of 18 New Zealand starts, Bettorstartdreaming made an inauspicious Australian debut when he galloped at the standing start, raced in fifth position and faded to last behind Attack On Command at Pinjarra on February 24 this year.

His new trainer-reinsman Lindsay Harper then sent the gelding for a spell and he was pleased with his first-up effort when, driven by his son Donald, he gave a stylish frontrunning display to score an easy win over McArdles Gem and Maras Ace Man at Gloucester Park on Tuesday of last week.  

“The opposition on Friday night is stronger than the horses he competed against last week, but he should be prominent,” said Lindsay Harper who will be in the sulky on Friday night after landing a driving double with Franco Joaquin and Hez A Chance at Gloucester Park on Tuesday evening.

Bettorstartdreaming was not extended when he dashed over the final quarters in 28.6sec. and 27.9sec. in his win last Tuesday week.

“He is not purely a frontrunner,” said Harper. “He won from all positions in New Zealand. However, he’s got good gate speed and we will be going forward from barrier two in a bid to lead.”

Harper explained that there were excuses for the gelding’s failure at Pinjarra last February. “He had his blood done after the race and discovered that he was suffering from a virus,” he said. “So, I put him out and gave him a couple of months off before bringing him back into work.

“We weren’t quite sure what to expect last week, and we were pleased with what we saw. He should only get better. He raced against some very good horses in New Zealand. His form centred around Group 1 horses; he raced against Self Assured (16 starts for 11 wins, five placings and $385,269) and that sort of horses.

“That was the reason why he was sold, because they were running 1.54 and 1.55 every week. And he was competitive.”

Bettorstartdreaming made an eye-catching debut at Alexandra Park in September 2018 when he flew home, out wide, to finish second to the ill-fated Major Trojan, who went on to win the WA Derby in April of last year. His 18 starts in New Zealand produced five wins (four at Alexandra Park and one at Cambridge) and four placings.

Bettorstartdreaming certainly is unlikely to have everything in his favour on Friday night when he is expected to meet with stiff opposition from Undercover Mac, Parisian Partygirl, Captain Kirk and others.

The lightly-raced Undercover Mac has impressed with two wins and a close fourth at his three WA starts and he looks capable of fighting out the finish, despite the disadvantage of starting from the outside of the back line.

Ken Casellas