Bettors Fire on cups trail
Connections of emerging star Bettors Fire have decided to target next month's $250,000 Fremantle Cup (2536m) and $400,000 WA Pacing Cup (2936m).
Trainer-reinsman Kyle Harper said the New Zealand import, a winner at eight of 10 WA starts, had thrived since his win in Saturday night's $50,000 Bunbury Cup (2569m).
"Bettors Fire beat a smart field in last month's Mount Eden Sprint," Harper said. "But we questioned if he was a serious carnival cups contender.
"I consider his Bunbury performance cleared doubts and stamped him as a genuine Group 1 prospect.
"He went close to Im Themightyquinn's track record after overcoming inter- ference and facing the breeze. It was his first race in almost four weeks."
Bettors Fire will next start in the $60,000 The Village Kid (1730m) at Gloucester Park on December 27.
Harper said the race would perfectly suit a lead-up to the Yes Loans Fremantle Cup on January 10 and the Nepean Conveyors WA Pacing Cup a week later.
He could face surprise cups opposition from former Perth gelding Washakie, who won an unprecedented fifth consecutive Group 1 $100,000 Treuer Memorial (2540m) on Saturday night.
WA owners Kevin Jeavons, Gino Monaco and Lindsay Severn sent Washakie to NSW trainer-reinsman John McCarthy in 2009.
"John is warming to starts in the Fremantle Cup and WA Pacing Cup," Jeavons said yesterday. "The trip depends on whether Washakie can be booked aboard a Perth flight early next month.
"He's a 10-year-old, but has produced top form in three starts since a spell.
"He shows his best at Gloucester Park and won the WA Pacing Cup when John brought him back in 2010."
He went close to Im Themightyquinn's track record …"Kyle Harper
