Family loyalty paying off for the Whites

Central Victoria’s White family loves harness racing with a passion – and back-to-back wins by their promising mare Im Miss Royalty are giving them all the encouragement they need.

Im Miss Royalty (Im Stately – Miss Tiny Tot (Keystone Salute) posted her second win for season 2022 at Charlton on Monday, recording the third victory of her career.

And it was fifth generation participant, 15-year-old Brent, who has been putting the polish on the family-owned trotter of late.

“I’ve been able to do all the work with her lately (first due to COVID-19 lockdowns then in school holidays) and I’m loving it. I do the jogging, the fastwork and her feeds, and when you get a win it just makes it all worth it,” Brent said.

The mare is trained by octogenarian Bill White, driven by his son Ian, who owns her with his wife Susan. Im Miss Royalty is strapped by Brent, while his 18-year-old sister Lauren, a university Science student, handles all the care of stablemate Double Dot.

“Everyone’s got their jobs to do and it all works out well – we absolutely love it,” Ian said.

“I always joke that I keep working to support our hobby and it’s probably not that far from the truth,” he said.

Susan White, whose grandfather Ken Ward was also in the sport, said she enjoyed seeing her children’s involvement.

“They do all the work with their horses – Ian tends to work with the ones that misbehave and do things wrong, or need straightening out,” Susan said.

“We’re only racing the two at the moment, Brent’s and Lauren’s and we had them both in at Charlton. One got the win and the other galloped – there’s a big emotional side to racing, and trotters certainly give you plenty of that!” she said.

“I’m definitely not that hands-on with the horses myself, I’m always on the other side of the fence, but I ride the emotional side of it with everyone else.

“I love watching the horses, going to the trots and I’m in the ownership of all of them with Ian. I stand on the sidelines and hope and pray that everyone gets around safely – I’m the lady with the hat jumping up and down in the straight!”

Susan said the couple bred Im Miss Royalty themselves after purchasing her mother Miss Tiny Tot at a winter clearance sale at Bendigo as a yearling.

“Miss Tiny Tot was so small they tied her across the stable, instead of facing outwards – we paid $500 for her, and the auctioneer told us to take her home and give her a good feed,” Susan laughed.

“She never did grow much, she raced at 340 kilograms, but I think she was the best thing that ever happened to us horse wise. She won nearly $120,000 and 13 races, including a consolation of the Redwood when she was two and the (Group Three) Lightfoot Laurels.”

The Whites also have another mare out of Miss Tiny Tot, Full of Fizz, a winner of one race from 28 starts. Im Miss Royalty has now had 35 starts for three wins, but Susan believes her best might be just around the corner.

“Miss Tiny Tot won a couple of two-year-old races – her first going 2.21 at Mooroopna if you can believe that, but then didn’t win a 3yo until almost the end of that season. She raced at her best when she was about five.

“Miss Tiny Tot was a sprint-lane specialist, whereas Im Miss Royalty is more of a grinder, but she’s really matured in these past few months, so we are hoping there might be more wins ahead for her.”

By Terry Gange for Harnesslink