Promising four-year-old Louie The Horse made the switch from standing-start racing to a mobile event without any problems when he coasted to a comfortable victory in the 1730m Better Your Bet With TABtouch Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“He is progressing and is getting a bit more belief in himself,” said star reinsman Ryan Warwick after driving Louie The Horse, the $1.70 favourite, to a win by almost a length from $17 chance Fanci A Dance, rating 1.54.4. “The switch to mobile racing didn’t worry him.”
The New Zealand-bred Louie The Horse had excelled in stands, with his previous eight starts, all in stands, producing four wins, three seconds and one third placing.
Chris Voak got Fanci A Dance away brilliantly from the outside barrier (No. 9) but the eight-year-old was unable to wrest the lead from Louie The Horse. Fanci A Dance then worked hard in the breeze and fought on with great determination to finish second.
Louie The Horse is by American stallion Sweet Lou and is the second foal out of Bettorkeepthefaith, who managed one win from 12 starts in New Zealand.
Bettorkeepthefaith’s dam Running On Faith won the group 1 Northern Oaks at Alexandra Park in April 2007 before being retired with earnings of $326,890 from eight wins and 19 placings from 33 starts.
by Ken Casellas