Bet N Win has again shown his undoubted class with a commanding win in tonight’s Group 3 Dancinginthedark (USA) Canterbury Park Cup Handicap Trot at Addington.
The David and Stacey White-trained trotter started quickly and went straight to the lead for driver Bob Butt. From there the win looked a formality, ahead of two longshots in Mystic Max and Love N The Port.
Al three now automatically qualify for the $400,000 Renwick Farms Dominion Trot on IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup day on Tuesday, November 12.
Impressive at recent trials, it was Bet N Win’s first race day start since an abscess in his hoof curtailed his Australian campaign in July, after he won his Australian debut at Albion Park.
He has now won eight from 15 starts and is now a $8 third favourite for the Dominion behind Aussie stars Just Believe ($1.70) and Callmethebreeze ($3).
In tonight’s race multiple Group 1 winner Muscle Mountain went round the field to sit parked and battled on well to finish fourth fresh up while reigning Trotter of the Year Oscar Bonavena settled towards the rear of the field and was never a factor.
Backed into $1.95, the Mark and Nathan Purdon-trained Chase A Dream duly delivered in the Group 1 Canprint Flying Stakes Mobile Pace for the country’s leading driver Blair Orange.
It’s Tough was exactly that in finishing second for John Dunn with Hadron Collider running into third after being three back the fence for Olivia Thornley.
It was Chase A Dream’s 10th win in just 15 starts.
In Race 9, the star-studded Get Cup Week Tickets At Addington.co.nz Handicap Pace Republican Party backed up his win in the Hannon Memorial.
Trained by Cran and Chrissie Dalgety, and driven by son Carter, Republican Party won a stirring finish from the always game Charlie Brown and Don’t Stop Dreaming, who produced a top performance fresh up off 20 metres. Alta Meteor who enjoyed the trail behind the pace-setting Tact McLeod stuck on for fourth.
The night’s richest race (Race 10) was the $200,000 NZB Harness Million 2YO Colts and Geldings Mobile Pace and hot favourite Marketplace was in a league of his own.
The Regan Todd-trained two-year-old was three wide before finding the front and after being attacked mid race was still too good in a hugely impressive display.
Post race driver Craig Ferguson summed it up succinctly – “that was unbelievable that run”
It was Marketplace’s fourth win in eight lifetime starts and as commentator Matt Cross said : “he’s the best two-year-old in the country!”
