Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Three drives for three wins — that’s Kyle Harper’s perfect record behind enigmatic pacer Bettorstartdreaming, who was not extended in scoring an easy victory in the 1730m SEFS, You Name It, We Fund It Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Bettorstartdreaming, part-owned and trained by Harper’s father Lindsay, was the hot $1.60 favourite from the prized No. 1 barrier over the sprint trip, and Kyle Harper gave the six-year-old’s supporters very little cause for concern by getting the New Zealand-bred gelding straight to the front and then rating him to perfection on his way to victory by a length and a half over $15 chance Mister Fortunia.
Lindsay Harper also had Heza Head Honcho in the race, and he opted to drive him from the inside of the back line, while giving his son his third drive behind Bettorstartdrteaming.
“We went pretty hard early; the first 150m was scintillating,” said Kyle Harper. “After that and an opening quarter of 29.4sec. we got a nice breather with a 31.5sec. second quarter. And he won like a good thing (rating 1.57.5).
“He is the type of horse who could go 1.55 if he needed to. He has good gate speed and when he leads, he feels like he does it effortlessly. He is a strange horse and is not the same from behind. Once he gets out in front, he’s a different horse.
“We’re a good combination. He’s a brilliant frontrunner, and I like to steer them in front. He is also a funny horse who does not pick up the bit at any point. And he feels the same when he’s running a 31 or a 32sec. quarter as he does when he runs a 27sec. quarter — which makes him hard to rate.”
Harper’s win followed his treble with Goldngalaxy ($2.05), Wheresthetowrope ($6) and Sippinonjack ($16) at Bunbury two days earlier. He then kept up the good work when he drove Elsamay ($2.45) to victory at Wagin on Sunday afternoon.
Elsmay gave Harper his 85TH winner for the year and his 802ND career win. This is now his most successful season in the sulky — after having landed 82 winners in a season twice before, in the 2017-18 season and in 2021.