Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Lightly-raced New Zealand-bred mare Bettor Have Faith made a spectacular city debut at Gloucester Park late on Tuesday afternoon, and she has excellent prospects of notching her second win in the space of four days when she lines up in the $21,000 Westside Auto 24/7 Online Pace over 2130m at headquarters on Friday night.
She will start out wide at barrier eight and will be driven for the first time by Emily Suvaljko, who replaces talented novice reinsman Ajay Markham, who drove the mare to a most impressive victory on Tuesday.
Bettor Have Faith was restrained to last from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line and she was tenth at the bell before Markham switched her three wide with 700m to travel. She went four wide 350m later and quickly burst to the front before careering away to win by four and a half lengths from Balingup Boy.
This was her fifth start for Northam trainer Lang Inwood, who was delighted to receive the pacer, along with another New Zealand-bred five-year-old mare Brulee, five weeks ago from their Busselton owner-trainer Barry Howlett, who was anxious to spend more time in the education and preparation of several youngsters in his stable.
Inwood will have three runners in Friday night’s race, Bettor Have Faith, Brulee and Eye Better (who raced wide early and then without cover before fighting on to finish third behind Bettor Have Faith on Tuesday).
“They are all racing well,” said Inwood. “Bettor Have Faith is probably the best of the three. It is a winnable race for her on Friday night, providing if there is a bit of speed and she gets a cart into the race. I think she is capable of winning two or three on a Friday night.”
Brulee, whose five starts for Inwood on country tracks have produced three wins and two placings, will be driven on Friday night by Joey Suvaljko and she faces a stern test from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line.
Eye Better will be driven by Shannon Suvaljko and will start from barrier six. She began from barrier eight on Tuesday night and impressed in finishing third behind Bettor Have Faith after racing three wide in the early stages and then in the breeze.
“All of my three runners will back up well after racing on Tuesday,” said Inwood. “They are thriving on racing.”
One of the main dangers to the Inwood trio is likely to be the Tonia Stampalia-trained Jaxon Morgan, who is in good form with thirds behind Bettor Move and Galaxy Warrior at his past two outings.
There will be no rest for Bettor Have Faith, who will contest the $20,000 Village Kid Sprint over 1780m at Northam on Saturday night. She will start on the inside of the back line, with Brulee alongside her at barrier two, and tablemate Tux And Tails drawn at barrier five on the front line.