Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
“He is as good a chance I have of winning a Derby with,” said star reinsman Chris Voak after driving Bet The House to a splendid victory in the Group 3 $50,000 Caduceus Club Classic at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“He has the tenacity and mental strength to win the WA Derby later this year,” said Voak who drove a tactically perfect race to guide the $7.30 chance to a decisive half-length win over Waverider ($5), rating a smart 1.54.9 over the 2130m.
Voak’s tactics paid off when Bet The House was at the rear of the field in the one-wide line soon after the start, with Waverider out three wide.
“When I saw the driver of Waverider (Kyle Symington) on the first bend looking like he was going forward, and then looking over to his left in a hope of getting to the one-wide line, I took a little hold of my horse and created a gap for Waverider,” said Voak.
“Tactically, it was a good manoeuvre. I was then able to follow Waverider in the one-wide line before getting the cart-up, three wide, on him.”
Symington eased Waverider three wide with 1050m to travel, and the colt got to the front 500m from home before Bet The House sustained a determined burst to take the lead in the closing stages and defeat Waverider.
“Bet The House was in for the fight,” said Voak.
Bet The House is not paid up to contest the Pearl Classic for three-year-olds on May 24, with part-owner and trainer Ron Huston concentrating on other feature events.
“He will now go to the paddock for a month before getting ready for the Westbred races and the WA Derby later in the year,” said Huston.
“Bet The House is an amazing horse. He has had a few little issues with illness, and how he has come on over the past eight weeks has been a bit of a miracle. Eight weeks ago, we were at the crossroads, whether he was going to be able to make it back to the races. But we found the key to him.”
For Huston Friday night’s win gave him his second success in the Caduceus Club Classic, following Jumbo Operator’s victory in 2009.
“There is a distinct difference between the two horses,” said Huston. “Jumbo Operator was so brilliant whereas Bet the House is just a work horse. He is probably the best horse I’ve had since Jumbo. He is very strong and is very fast as well.”
Jumbo Operator was retired with a fine record of 43 starts for 24 wins, eight seconds and one third for stakes of $313,175. Bet The House has already earned $105,182 from five wins and two placings from eight starts.
Opal Hunter, the $2.35 favourite in Friday night’s race, was beaten out from barrier one and raced three back on the pegs before finishing sixth.