99 Hand. Routine Line with overcards?

[JEM7VSBL]

stats and reads on players are inconsequential for this hand analysis.

Party Poker 1/2 Hold'em (10 handed) converter

Preflop: JEM is MP1 with 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, UTG+2 folds, <font color="#CC3333">JEM raises</font>, MP2 folds, MP3 folds, CO calls, Button calls, SB folds, BB calls.

Flop: (8.50 SB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
BB checks, <font color="#CC3333">JEM bets</font>, CO calls, Button calls, BB folds.

Turn: (5.75 BB) 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
JEM checks, <font color="#CC3333">CO bets</font>, Button calls, JEM folds.

River: (7.75 BB) Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">CO bets</font>, Button folds.

Final Pot: 8.75 BB

I know this looks like a pretty routine hand, but would you have bet this flop and check/fold the turn like seen above, or just save a small bet and check/fold the flop? i'm kind of debating the flop bet now, because i doubt a single bet would knock out 3 other players, and any callers would probably have me beat. what do you all think?

[SoCalPat]

They won't fold if you don't bet.

Just because there are three players out there doesn't mean one of them automatically has an ace. And sometimes you'll get better hands to fold here because of A) the strength you showed PF and B) there's an ace on the board.

Once you don't take it down on the flop, you check/fold the turn unimproved.