Better gets his chance to prove he’s the best

PROVING he was tonight, Better Be The Best will be given the opportunity to establish himself as the leader among his crop next weekend.

By capturing the Paleface Adios Stake at Club Menangle just moments ago, Better Be The Best earned a berth in the famed Chariots Of Fire.

Australasia’s premier four-year-old event, the $250,000 major is scheduled to be staged around the world class venue next Saturday night.

Victory in the Group One will also see the son of Shoobees Place become just the fifth campaigner to complete the New South Wales Derby/Chariots Of Fire double.

Franco Hat Trick was the ground breaker in 1997 and ’98, followed by Holmes DG in ‘98 and ’99 , Elsu in 2003 and ’04 and Poster Boy in 2018 and ’19.

The two events have been run simultaneously since the Chariots Of Fire’s introduction to the racing calendar in 1995.

Better Be The Best completed the first half of the equation with his Derby triumph last March.

As for his latest triumph, Better Be The Best led throughout from barrier six to score by two-and-a-half metres from New Zealand raider, Its Merlin, with Sure Thing Captain two-and-a-half metres away third.

Trained and driven by Nathan Turnbull, the entire covered the mile in 1:49.8.

“I couldn’t be happier with the way he went,” Turnbull said. “That was his third run back from a decent spell and he has improved so much in the past few weeks.

“Once he got to the front, he was always going to be hard to beat and he responded exactly how I knew he would.

“It’s going to be tougher again next week in the Chariots, but with how he is feeling now, he couldn’t be in better condition heading into it.”

Better Be The Best, Its Merlin, Sure Thing Captain and Rocknroll Hammer, which finished fourth, will join Dont Stop Dreaming, Our Vinnie, Captains Knock, Sooner The Bettor, Captain Hammerhead and Frankie Ferocious to complete the Chariots Of Fire field.

The barrier draw is due to be conducted at the office of Harness Racing New South Wales on Monday.

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