Second time set to be a charm for Double The Pro
RACE day experience is hard to replicate and few trainers know this as well as Trevor Andrews after a torrid, yet exciting debut for promising gelding, Double The Pro.
In its maiden professional start at Belmont on May 31, the two-year-old jumped awkwardly, encountered trouble at every turn and got blocked for a run at a vital stage, but still managed to power home to claim second.
The $26 shot finished within half a length of highly-touted Bronze Idol in a quality run that belied the huge price.
After that encouraging run, the market has responded.
Double The Pro now comes into Wednesday’s card at Belmont as many punters’ best bets of the day in the second race in the nation’s west, and is paying as much for the win (+300 at WilliamHill.com.au) as it did to place two weeks ago.
Andrews believes the strong showing on debut is indicative that a win could be right around the corner for the Proart product.
“He comes in with a bit of a chance tomorrow,” the trainer told HorseBetting.com.au.
“He did a lot of things wrong and was still in the finish last week. He was three-wide for some of it and got into a bit of trouble in the straight, but he gets a better draw tomorrow and I’m expecting him to take a lot from that experience.”
Double The Pro is the +300 second favourite at Crownbet.com.au to take out the Harold Ives at Belmont.
On its debut run Double The Pro was caught three wide for part of the journey and was forced to push forward, then in the concluding stages was checked as William Pyke took the short priced favourite State Attorney out wide to commence its run.
Despite being inconvenienced, the gelding rocketed to the line to finish just slightly off the eventual winner, who may have been run down if the journey was in excess of the 1200m distance.
Double The Pro draws barrier two for the second race on the card tomorrow, and Andrews believes it will suit his two-year-old down to the ground.
“Yeah I reckon he gets the barrier to suit tomorrow actually,” the trainer said if asked whether he believes the inside gate will help Double The Pro’s chances on Wednesday.
“You’ll take barrier two over barrier ten any day of the week, that’s for sure.”
Although Wednesday’s race will be just the horse’s second career start, Andrews is already looking at spelling the talented prospect if it can break through at Belmont.
Including the two trials that began at the March 1, tomorrow’s race will be the fourth race in the two-year-old’s career, and the trainer thinks it will be more beneficial in the long run to rest the gelding ahead of what could be a busy schedule in the spring.
“I’m thinking he’ll be going out for a spell after this one,” Andrews said.
“We’ve got nothing in mind for him just yet, but we reckon a break will do him well.”
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