There are few boys as good to their connections as Bad Billy and Gary Lawlor's Inter Dominion bound pacer will again look to run 'pasta' plenty of opponents in Saturday's Del-Re National Italian Cup.
Having burst into second behind Moonrock in last weekend's feature Bad Billy appears on course for another quiet pegs run at Tabcorp Park Melton for this weekend's feature, having drawn gate eight behind veteran Kotare Roland.
It's a tricky draw given the likes of Soho Tribeca and Im The Boss loom large in the middle-distance pace, and Lawlor - who joined Blake Redden and Michael Howard on RSN's Gate Speed this week - said his country cups winner would just take his opportunities as they present.
"Every time he goes around he puts in 110 per cent," Lawlor said. "I can never remember in any race he's ever had a horse pass him in the last 200m, even when he has been beat. He always puts in, just loves to run."
December's Inter Dominion remains the carrot at the end of Bad Billy's pursuit and so good showings now are important to have him prominent in handicappers' eyes to gain a shot at ID18.
"He'll run on Saturday night (but) we won't overtax him, the long-term plan is to take him to the Inter Dominion," Lawlor said.
"That's always been the plan with him from day one. We've always treated him as a cup horse, we've had that plan for four or five years and we've just followed it through.
"We will just take him along quietly. Because we own him we don't have to be pushed into anything. We will take him along easily and let him make the moves. He'll tell us what he wants to do.
"It's very, very exciting. It's a big thrill to go to (the big) races, and it's even bigger when each time you present him he just answers the question."
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