AS DOUG Hewitt steered Bettor Sport down the sprint lane at the Bathurst Paceway on Wednesday night, he took a nervous look over his shoulder to check on his rivals.
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Hewitt was expecting another runner to swoop to the lead, but that didn't happen. Instead Bettor Sport held on to win the Town and Country Rural Supplies Pace (1,730 metres).
"This bloke is not renowned for sprinting, so once he got in the gap and hit it pretty well, I was pretty impressed with the way he went," Hewitt said.
"I thought there'd be some sweeper from the back so I was looking where the challenges were coming from. Lucky enough he had them all beaten."
The Sportswriter x Bettor By Far gelding trained at Georges Plains by Doug's father Bernie Hewitt was backed into $2.20 favouritism on Wednesday even though he had not won since March 23.
But he did have a barrier one draw for just the fifth time in his 41-start career.
Hewitt said that "definitely" played a role as Bettor Sport went on to notch up his sixth win.
"This bloke has been drawing sixes and sevens for the last six weeks and he's always been in the market, but the draw's sort of beat him. Tonight he made the most of the draw," the driver said.
Though Nathan Turnbull's Dontch See It ($23) managed to cross from barrier five after the green light was given, Hewitt settled Bettor Sport in the trail.
Dontch See It turned for home with the lead, but Hewitt had guided his runner into the lane and Bettor Sport nosed ahead.
Though Hewitt had his doubts if the four-year-old could go on with it, Bettor Sport kept giving to win by 2m over Dontch See It, with Holy Camp Rob ($6) a half head further back.
"Once I got crossed I was a bit worried because he doesn't have that dash, he just likes to roll himself, so to put that effort in tonight, I was quite happy with him," Hewitt said.
"He was a real nice two-year-old and he went away as a three-year-old and he didn't come back as good. As a four-year-old we gave him a bit of freshen up and he's come back a lot better and I think he's starting to find his feet.
"He will go on this horse, that's the thing, he's one of those horses who likes to roll but now he's getting a bit bigger and growing into his body he'll get stronger."
