Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Bet The House, a leading contender for the $200,000 WA Derby on November 1, faces an interesting test when he competes against older and more experienced rivals for the first time at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
However, his part-owner and trainer Ron Huston is confident that three-year-old Bet The House, who has raced against his own age group in all of his ten starts for five wins, three seconds and one third placing, will prove hard to beat when he begins from the No. 3 barrier in the 2130m Trotsynd Pacing For The Podium Pace.
“He pulled up big (in condition) after finishing second to Artful Miki last Friday night, so he needs to keep racing,” said Huston.
“He is a level eight three-year-old, so it’s hard to find (suitable) races for him. He has worked with older horses all his life, and he has probably run times better than the other horses in Friday night’s race.
“He should acquit himself well. He sprints strongly, and he hasn’t raced outside of his comfort zone at his first two runs in this preparation.”
Bet The House began from the outside barrier in a field of eight last Friday night when he dashed forward, three wide, after 400m and raced in the breeze until he took the lead 600m from home and was narrowly beaten by the fast-finishing Artful Miki.
At his previous appearance three weeks earlier Bet The House worked hard in the breeze when a neck second to the brilliant Vegas Strip.
Hardest for Bet The house to beat on Friday night appears certain to be the polemarker, the Kim Prentice-trained four-year-old Crowd Control, who will be driven by Mitch Miller.
Crowd Control will be having his sixth start in his current campaign. He is a good frontrunner who has raced 39 times for eight wins and 20 placings. He trailed the pacemaker Lady Prima Donna before getting off the pegs at the bell and running to the front 225m from home and finishing a half-head second to the fast-finishing Coney Island Lou, rating 1.56.7 over 2130m last Friday week.
Also expected to be prominent is six-year-old Strike Team, who will be handled by his trainer Aiden De Campo, who produced the Mach Three gelding in splendid condition last Friday night for his first run for 20 months.
Strike Team began from barrier seven and was eleventh at the bell before flying home with a sparkling burst of speed to finish an extremely close-up fourth in a four-way photo finish behind Otis, Acuto and Arma Xfactor over 1730m.
“He has plenty of ability but has had a lot of problems,” said De Campo. “I was happy with his first-up run and I expect him to run like that most times he goes on to the track.”