Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Kalgoorlie personal trainer Justin Zecca and his father Lou made the trip down to Perth to watch their first pacer Bet The House score an exciting victory in the $50,000 Group 3 Allwood Stud Farm Champagne Classic on Friday night.
While they were delighted at the gelding’s win at $7, it was business as usual for champion reinsman Chris Lewis, who notched a record ninth victory in this event, following wins with Pardon Me Boys (1987), Talladega (1999), Wirrpunda (2001), All Four Firing (2002), Slick Operator (2003), David Hercules (2009), Mister Jadore (2013) and Lavra Joe (2020).
Byford trainer Ron Huston took a fancy to Bet The House at the 2022 APG Perth yearling sale and bought him for $20,000, and the gelding has earned $29,564 from his first two starts, a fourth at Pinjarra followed by Friday night’s impressive victory.
“We normally don’t syndicate our horses, but we (along with his partner Vicki Lea) decided to try syndicating one,” said the 44-year-old Huston.
“Justin was my best mate at school in Kalgoorlie, and when he heard that I was syndicating a pacer he phoned me and said that he and his father would love to take a share.
“Justin and I played football and cricket together, and I came to Perth with him to keep him company when he was trying out for the State under-16 colts cricket side, and that was the first time I saw Gloucester Park, and I said that I’d like to train a horse to race there.”
Huston heads the syndicate which races Bet The House with Justin and Lou Zecca, Patrick O’Boyle and his brother Jamie and Busselton harness trainer Reece Kaptein.
Huston said that he took a punt in buying Bet The House, who is by American sire Betting Line and out of Katesplace, a mare who started twice in New Zealand for a third placing and then had seven starts in WA for a win at Bunbury in October 2012 and three third placings.
“The mare had been to Bettors Delight quite a few times and had not thrown a winner,” said Huston. “So, that was a bit of an off-put. I picked the yearling out simply on his nice conformation.”
Interestingly, Katesplace’s dam Kate’s First was brilliant performer, who amassed $624,023 in prizemoney for her 19 wins and 19 placings from 65 starts. In 1997 Kate’s First won three Group 1 events in New Zealand as well as the Queensland Oaks. And then in January 1999 she finished second to Holmes D G in the Group 1 Victoria Cup at Moonee Valley.
Bet The House began from the No. 1 barrier on Friday night when Lewis was content to take the sit behind the stablemate and $5 chance Rocknroll Train, who was smartest to begin from barrier two and had to fend off an early challenge from $6 chance Ideal Muscle.
Manhattan Moon, the $3.10 favourite, raced wide early to move into the breeze after 650m. Lewis eased Bet The House off the pegs 450m from home and the gelding was blocked for a run behind Manhattan Moon for a while until Lewis angled Bet The House three wide approaching the home turn.
The gelding dashed to the front 120m from the post and won by a half-neck from debutant and $18 chance Prince Of Pain, who impressed greatly in sprinting home strongly from last at the bell. Ideal Muscle was two lengths farther back in third place.