Southland harness racing trainer Kirk Larsen knew he had Bettor Ops right for today's bMac Sheetmetal Southern Country Cups Final at Diamonds Day..
“You always get a bit nervous when everything is going so good. I felt today he was 100 per cent,” he said.
The four year old gelding stepped well and was soon setting the early pace. Larsen then handed up to the Mark Jones trained Glenferrie Classic. That runner took Bettor Ops to the passing lane and he shot up to beat the pacemaker by a head.
“He was travelling good the whole way. It was just a matter of getting the gap. He ran up the passing lane really well but he can knock off, which he did today. I’m glad he hung on as he could have easily got beaten.”
Bettor Ops beating Glenferrie Classic – Photo Bruce Stewart.
The gelding is raced by Sydneysiders Reg Turner and his son David and Larsen says although Bettors Ops might not be suited by the Harness Jewels distance of 1609 they will probably start in the group feature. However there are also other options.
“We’ve gone this far so we’ll probably carry on. There’s a $40,000 race that the Sires Stake Board put on so we’ll probably look at that. The owners are from Sydney and they’re pretty keen to get him over there but he’s an M2 horse now so that could make it a wee bit different. He’s probably going to find it a bit easier here.”
The win today, his fourth, elevates him to sixth in the 4 Year Old Emerald.
Larsen says Bettor Ops has been a work in progress but he's improved a lots from when he first began racing.
"He had a lot of trouble with his gait early on and even today he was getting onto his knee on the bends a couple of times especially on the first bend. But he’s getting better all the time.”
Larsen previously won the Southern Country Cups final in 2004 with Howard Bromac.
Bruce Stewart
Southland Harness Racing