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Bettor Isolate’s (Bettor’s Delight) devastating turn of foot has been the topic of conversation for much of his harness racing career and Mattie Craven’s emerging star needed every bit of it to escape from jail and win Saturday night’s Popular Alm Sprint at Kilmore.
The lightly-raced five-year-old was badly held up rounding the home turn, but found a way clear in the straight and charged late to grab front-runner Tango Tara in the shadows of the post.
It was a somewhat overdue victory for the son of Bettors Delight, who had been running good races without prevailing since taking out a heat of the Riverina Championships in March.
Craven handed driving duties to brother Glen on Saturday night and he might have been cursing his name when things became messy for the favourite.
HE’S A ROCKET! 🚀
Mattie Craven-trained Bettor Isolate charges home late to grab Tango Tara in the shadows of the post to win the night’s feature at Kilmore, the Popular Alm Sprint! A few nervous moments for driver Glen Craven, but all’s well that ends well! pic.twitter.com/NJzo1CpJUY— The Trots (@TheTrotsComAu) July 15, 2023
Glen charged off the arm from gate four and found the front over Hi Manameisjeff, but was quickly placed back behind that runner when Nathan Jack popped off the pegs and completed the re-take. That spelt trouble for Bettor Isolate, who was strung up in traffic when the leader began to tire and looked to have run out of time to reel in Andy Gath’s New Zealand export. But he eventually escaped and charged in the final few strides to secure the 10th victory of his 20-start career.
“(Trainer) Mattie (Craven) didn’t want me to be burning into the first corner, and I sort of got stuck outside Yambukian and it was going to be a long way back,” Glen said.
“So I pressed the button to get to the front and was just probably doing a little bit more than I would have liked. I was just trying to get a breather, Nathan hooked out straight off my back and I just didn’t want to get into a war.
“He is better off with a sit so it wasn’t the worst thing to be sitting behind the leader, but around the home corner I was having a bit of a heart attack.”
Bettor Isolate turned heads with a slashing run behind Hurricane Harley in early June when he clocked a final 400m split of 25.38 at Melton.
Glen said there were no imminent major targets for the horse, who will not be heading to Queensland for the back end of that state’s winter carnival.
“I think he’ll just keep going around, just keep getting better and hopefully get a bit stronger. And if he can get stronger, he’ll take the next step,” the reinsman said.
Earlier in the night, Dean Braun produced Holy Basil (Changeover) for a long-awaited victory in the Bob Cain Memorial Winter Championship (second heat).
The injury-plagued seven-year-old had not prevailed since success in Tasmania during March of last year, but showed significant improvement third-up from a break to claim his eighth win at just start 13.
That was the first of two wins for driver Nathan Jack, who then claimed the Bob Knight Memorial with Ross Graham’s Major Manbar.
The trainer-driver, husband-wife combo of Andy and Kate Gath secured the evening’s other winning double thanks to the efforts of Pull The Other Leg and Central Otago.
Pull The Other Leg produced a stunning finale from last to win the Vin Knight Memorial before Central Otago closed the card with a front-running success in the Roger Reeves Memorial Trot.
Aaron Dunn’s impressive four-year-old Eyethink continued to build on an outstanding career record by winning the first heat of the Ken ‘Snowy’ Chapman Memorial Winter Championship.
The Horsham horseman sent his charge forward and quickly found the front, and despite some early pressure from Hes Olly, was able to control the early stages of the race before ripping home in 27.3 and 27.9 closing quarters.
Eyethink has now won seven of 16 lifetime starts.
For complete race entries, click here.
by Tim O’Connor, for Harness Racing Victoria
