By Adam Hamilton
Superstar filly Bettor Twist heads the Kiwi raid on the Breeders Crown three-year-old series at Bendigo on Friday night.
But, just like her first Aussie run, Bettor Twist has the task ahead from the worst possible draw (gate 11) with local star Beach Music drawn to work to the lead and control things from gate five.
Beach Music, second-stringer to Ladies In Red in the powerhouse Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin barn, found the front and beat Bettor Twist when they clashed last Saturday week.
Trainer Nathan Purdon insists Bettor Twist has improved since, but she’ll need to have to turn the tables over 2150m around Bendigo, which is a noted front runners track.
Another Kiwi raider, Lifes A Beach, gets her chance to test the awesome Ladies In Red from a perfect draw in her Crown heat.
Lifes A Beach, now in the care of Andy Gath and to be driven by Kate Gath, is a chance of leading from gate two, while Ladies In Red has to come from wide on three back row in gate 10.
In the other heat, it’s fantastic to see the much-loved and high-class Tough Tilly returning after a minor throat operation. She’ll dominate betting from gate five.
The key Kiwi runner in the colts and geldings division is Queensland Derby winner American Dealer, who heads into his heat under a bit of a form cloud.
His three runs since winning the Derby at Albion Park have been below his best and he has an inside back row draw (gate eight) to overcome in a very strong heat where Emma Stewart’s star pair Major Moth (gate one) and Beyond Delight (two), will dominate the betting.
Stewart’s recent Victoria Derby winner Act Now won’t have an easy task from gate nine in his heat with last Saturday night’s brilliant NSW Breeders Challenge winner Bar Room Banta on the quick back-up and drawn to lead from gate three.
“It’s not easy and far from ideal to have to bring him back from Sydney and back him up so quickly, but he seems well,” Bar Room Banta’s trainer-driver Mick Stanley said.
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Gifted Victorian pacer General Dodge can make it back-to-back country cups at Yarra Valley on Thursday.
It was awesome to see him right back to his best when he blew champion mare Amazing Dream away in the Geelong Cup with some blazing late splits last time.
Amazing Dream franked the form with her dominant Group 1 Queen of the Pacific win at Melton last Saturday night.
The query with General Dodge is what driver Jason Lee does from gate six. He’s so quick out he could lead for sure, but most think he’s a much better horse when not used early in his races.
Last week’s impressive Swan Hill Cup winner Malcolms Rhythm is the main danger from gate eight, while Major Roll (two) and Boots Electric (one) are other hopes.
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Where is Chariots Of Fire winner Expensive Ego at?
Driver Luke McCarthy isn’t quite sure and admitted he was “below par” when fifth as a hot favourite in last week’s Group 1 Len Smith Mile.
“I think I’d have been better driving him more aggressively and going to the breeze,” he said. “He didn’t pick-up like I thought he would from off the pace,” he said.
“This is an important race to see where he’s at and what plans we make.”
Expensive Ego will have to be good to overcome the outside draw in the Vodka Cruiser free-for-all (1609m).
