Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Up-and-coming WA-bred young pacer Belly Up gave further proof of his ability when he bucked the odds to win the $23,000 Garrard’s Horse And Hound @ Newcastle Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
He was the $5 third favourite from out wide at barrier eight, and he was trapped out very wide in the early stages before Deni Roberts had little option but to restrain him back to the rear in the field of eleven.
Belly Up’s stablemate Rumble Strip was the $3.40 second favourite behind the $1.80 favourite Bettors Pride.
Bettors Pride was smartest to begin from barrier four but as unable to cross Rumble Strip, who burst straight to the front from the No. 2 barrier. After a fast lead time of 35.9sec. Belly Up was in tenth position and facing a serious challenge.
Roberts sent Belly Up forward with a three-wide burst approaching the bell and he was fourth, out four wide on the home turn, and facing an almost impossible task. But he responded to the urgings of Roberts and surged home to get up and snatch victory by a half-head from Rumble Strip, with $10 chance Gaitcrasher a neck away in third place after racing without cover for much of the journey. A further neck away in fourth place was Bettors Pride.
Belly Up, prepared by champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond, continues to improve and he now has earned $190,039 from five wins and six placings from 14 starts.
“Once Rumble Strip got a nice the first quarter (31.3sec.) I had to get going a lot earlier than I wanted,” said Roberts. “Then I got lucky with about 600m from home when I was able to duck in behind Bettors Pride. And when I pulled the plugs around the home bend Belly Up really kicked.
“I think that Belly Up is our No. 1 three-year-old at the moment. He still has a lot to learn, so there is some improvement there.”