Bettors Anvil upsets in Classic

Given the right trip, Bettor’s Anvil (Bettor’s Delight) is lethal. And he proved it again tonight in winning the G2 $60,000 Lamb & Haywood ‘Canterbury Classic.’

As the race unfolded The Lazarus Effect, It’s Tough, Republican Party and Franco Sinatra took turns in front while Bettors Anvil’ s driver Tim Williams got on the back of Tact McLeod who was following favourite Marketplace in the outside running line.

Coming out of the last bend Williams hooked him off the back of Tact McLeod and just when Marketplace looked to be fighting out the finish with The Lazarus Effect who was steaming up the passing lane, Bettors Anvil came over the top of them to win by a head from Marketplace with Mo’unga storming home late a length and a half back in third.

BETTORS ANVIL REPLAY

The winning time was a smart 3-11.9 – just 0.8 of a second outside the race record of 3-11.1 set by 2019 winner Spankem.

After the race, driver Tim Williams couldn’t believe how the cards fell.

“Today he travelled really nice and just the way the race kept panning out it kept falling our way. He was in the running line, doing no work and travelling super. Over the back I asked him to pick the bit up and was really travelling and I thought I could run in three (top three),” he said.

The win was the gelding’s seventh and second this campaign.

“He’s been pretty consistent this time in. He was still a bit goofy at the start but as it turned out it was probably the winning of the race. He got into a great spot. A few of the others had some traffic issues and the race really came our way. He proved as a three year old against those better ones (Marketplace and Got The Chocolates) that he is a great follower (of speed).”

Trained by Steve and Amanda Telfer, Bettors Anvil now heads to the Go Media New Zealand Cup at Addington.

“It’s obviously a big step up and it’ll be a great field but he showed tonight with the right trip and the right circumstances he could be an each way chance.”

The win was the second for Williams in the race. He won with Dream About Me in 2018. And it’s also the second time Steve and Amanda Telfer have won the Canterbury Classic, having taken the prize home in 1922 with BD Joe.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink