From the blue army to the green army - Merv’s recruits just keep getting better and Bettor

Fresh from his win at Auckland with The Empress, owner Merv Butterworth has sent another talented pacer up to Lincoln Farms this week.

The latest recruit Bettor My Dreamz arrived at Ray Green’s Pukekohe stable on Wednesday to replace Kiwi Bloke who was on a plane to Australia the same day.

And in the Bettor’s Delight three-year-old, Butterworth has a pacer who could really make his mark at Auckland in the next few months.

The Empress was Butterworth’s sixth individual winner since he started sending horses north for the better stakes at Auckland. And the big Melbourne owner said he was buoyed last Friday night when hearing the ATC’s interim executive director Rod Croon promise that race stakes would be protected despite the club’s projected $40 million loss on its building project.

In only five starts, Bettor My Dreamz has shown he has the ability to tuck away plenty of those bigger purses.

Bettor My Dreamz looks a good type for Alexandra Park. PHOTO: Race Images.Bought for $25,000 by Mark Purdon at the 2017 Karaka yearling sale, he scored two wins from only four starts at All Stars.

Debuting at Ashburton in October last year, he came from second last to park a lap from home and out-toughed Bettathanfast to score by a neck in a slick 2:57 for the 2400 metres.

Following what Butterworth called a terrible drive at his next start when 11th at Addington, Bettor My Dreamz lined up a $1.50 favourite on cup day and slayed his opposition by three lengths after leading over the last lap.

He didn’t back up well three days later on Show Day, weakening to sixth, Butterworth believing it was simply asking too much of a raw three-year-old.

The youngster was then sent for a long spell in Southland and reappeared for Lauren Pearson only 13 days ago at Invercargill, finishing fourth when his condition gave out - Butterworth says when a planned workout was cancelled, it left Bettor My Dreamz short of fitness.

“I don’t think going right-handed will be a problem for him - knowing the All Stars they would have done lots of work the reverse way round.’’

Bettor My Dreamz certainly has the pedigree to succeed, being from a family of big winners.

He is the third foal of the Dream Away mare All My Dreamz, who is a half sister to (Im) Corzin Terror who won 21 races and ran 30 placings, earning stakes of $513,000.

Further back in the pedigree were the derby winners Sogo and Hitchcock.