Dueton on Belmont Park Duty Again

This Saturday Perth-based horseman Eric Wake will race his in-form four-year-old Dueton at Belmont Park for the third weekend on the trot with the progressive sprinter looking to make it a winning hat-trick.

Flying Due Sasso gelding Dueton is one of the 13 horses set to contest this year’s edition of the $100,000 Listed Belmont Newmarket (1200m).

A nice lead-up to the popular $130,000 Listed Hannan’s Handicap (1400m) at Kalgoorlie on September 18, the Belmont Newmarket has attracted some classy WA gallopers this weekend.

Likely favourite is the David Harrison-trained Settle Strada in barrier four.

The Strada five-year-old is undefeated this season coming off back-to-back Belmont black types having taken out the Listed Beaufine Stakes (1000m) and then the Listed H.G. Bolton Sprint (1200m) on July 27.

Also coming off successive victories is then Dueton who races for their third straight Saturday in the Belmont Newmarket.

Dueton ran first-up in the Perth Sprint on July 13 allocated 61.5kg but carrying 59.5kg thanks to the claim of apprentice hoop Ben Paterson.

Still they weren’t able to handle the weight and beat home just one other runner when seventh to Magnifisio.

They improved second-up on July 27 however winning a Benchmark 72 over 1000m with 57kg, and did it again seven days later in another race of the same conditions and distance last Saturday with 59kg.

For those past two runs Dueton was ridden by Paul Harvey.

Harvey however won’t be aboard on Saturday because of the light 54.5kg weight allocation, Jason Whiting to jump aboard instead.

Whiting has some experience on them with four previous rides, most recently when the two combined to win over 1100m in an open handicap at Ascot back in February last year.

While they’ve done a lot of racing in the past month, Wake is confident it hasn’t taken its toll on Dueton and that they are as fresh and ready to go as ever especially with the nice drop back in weight.

“He is a pretty tough horse and everything I have asked of him he has done with flying colours,” Wake told The West Australian.

And they will have to be at their best as they face an open-aged race for the first time here.

It won’t be their first stakes assignment however.

They have had one black type run previously when a brave third behind Miss Bux in the Listed Placid Ark Stakes (1200m) back in December of 2012.

“We should have won another two races last prep,” Wake said.

“Even the Placid Ark, we were unlucky not to win it.

“Sometimes they take a bit of time to learn and that is what this horse has done.”

About The Author

Lucy Henderson

Lucy is an experienced horse racing journalist that has been a crucial member of the horseracing.com.au team for the better part of a decade. She has taken great delight in covering champion mares Black Caviar and Winx throughout their careers and always has a soft spot for a winning filly.