Dubbo delight for family – you betcha!

The NSW Betts family has enjoyed plenty of good times in harness racing – but few better than at Dubbo on Friday (Aug 30).

Graham and Monica Betts, their daughter Phoebe and sons Jake and Jed each came home with a winner, starting out with a trifecta between them in race 2, and finishing first and second in race 5 and picking up the two feature events on the night.

“We’ve had some good days at the races, but no doubt that was the best one we’ve ever had.  It doesn’t happen very often, so you’ve just got to enjoy it when things go your way,” Graham said.

Jed (trainer) and Phoebe (driver) got the ball rolling with three-year-old Limbo Lenny (Bling It On) in race two, with Graham training second and third placegetters Six Times A Lady and Speedy Sport (driven by Jake).

Graham went one better in the first feature of the day in race 4, the $12K Garrards Loyalty Series Final, with Irk McGlurk (For A Reason), owned and driven by Jake.

In the next race Monica (trainer) and Phoebe (driver) combined to take out the $12K Gallagher Little Red Jug Final with Justa Dragon (Fear The Dragon), with Monica also training the runner up, Romero, driven by Jake.

All up, it was three wins, two seconds and two thirds from 11 starters between the Betts teams.

“We all run very separate stables because we like to do things our own way, but it’s great when everyone has a good day.  They’ve all been racing pretty well, but you just need luck and it’s nice when that happens,” Graham said.

Monica and Phoebe Betts share the training load with Monica’s team of 10, but Graham said 21-year-old Phoebe is currently in the process of getting her own training licence.

“She trains here at our place and Jake is at my father-in-law’s and Jed has his own place about 10 minutes away. Phoebe was training out of Monica’s dad’s place, too, but when she wanted to move back here, we helped her put up stables of her own,” Graham said.

“The deal we had was, if you stay out of my stables, I’ll stay out of yours – and that works for us!” he laughed.

The victory on Irk McGlurk was the first win in the sulky in four seasons for Jake, who works for the Boys to the Bush program, which focuses on prevention and early intervention strategies for vulnerable boys and young men.

“Jake went out of horses for a few years but Irk McGlurk was just a cheap buy and he’s really enjoying being back into it,” Graham said.

Graham stepped back from full time work on a sheep and cattle property this year to focus more on his standardbred team. He’s so far trained 10 winners for the season with Monica and Phoebe 15, and Jed 4.

“I just enjoy the horses so much. I’ve got seven in work and some young ones I’m breaking in and it’s great just to be able to concentrate on this side of things more,” he said.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink