“And he is absolutely flying” says race caller Dan Mielicki of Bettor Be The Bomb after Basil Dooley’s fabulous flying machine stole the show at Tabcorp Park Melton on Saturday night.
The description was also apt for reinsman Jack Laugher, who showed plenty of aggression to steer the six-year-old gelding to victory in the TAB Long May We Play Westburn Grant Free For All, the first of a running double for the former Tasmanian.
“Last week put the writing on the wall really, (Bettor Be The Bomb) getting home the way he did,” Laugher told Trots Vision post-race. “(After that) start I came in and said to Basil how much the horse has improved in the 12 months since I drove it last – he’s come a long, long way. He’s still getting better as well, the more he goes, he’s turned into a really nice horse.”
And that was only reaffirmed on Saturday night, when Laugher registered his 87th win of the season, a remarkable 15 of which have been at metropolitan grade.
The 21-year-old, who’s in his fifth season as a reinsman, tucked into the running line behind Arden Voyager, with Somewhere Secret holding the lead after an aggressive early move by Jason Lee to head Sicario.
Laugher then slipped from the one-one to the breeze at the bell, advancing past Arden Voyager who appeared to be over-racing, and after a series of moderate quarters for the class the lead pair let down with a 27.3-second sprint to the line.
After losing a length at the turn, Bettor Be The Bomb rallied and raced clear in the final 50 metres to score for owner Paula Martin.
“He’s gotten used to that tougher racing and just kept getting better,” Laugher said.
“I think when they got the horse he was a C1 (country one class), I was driving him a bit those early stages and he won a few races, got to about a C4, C5 and I wasn’t really sure he’d go past your (metropolitan) grade, but he’s gone well and truly past that.
“He is racing some of the nicer horses going around in the state at the moment and holding his own against them and beating them. Basil’s done a terrific job with, from the day he got him he’s just kept improving.”
And there looks like being more good times ahead for the Bettors Delight gelding out of 10-time winning mare Atom Bomb Belle.
“The horse is actually pretty cocky at the moment, he’s feeling good about himself and you’ve got to let him feel like he’s the boss a little bit,” Laugher said.
“He’s feeling really good and Basil’s got him going good. When you are sitting behind him, you’ve just got to press the button and when you do you can zoom away. He’s quite intelligent.”
The win was the first of a double for Laugher, who then preceded to score on Van Mara in the Allied Express Pace for new trainer Kate Hargreaves.
Reinsman Chris Alford also walked away with a pair of wins, having scored with Helansin and Yorkshire, while Kate and Andy Gath produced a further winning double in the night’s final two races.
Their pair, Monaro Maro and McLovin, both did it tough in the breeze before scoring, with the latter grinding past brilliant mare Dance Craze late to reaffirm his place back at the head of the Australian trotting.
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