Bet N Win family affair

Rowe Cup winner Bet N Win (What The Hill) is providing the family of the horse’s trainers David and Stacey White with lasting memories.

“Both our parents have got a share. Having them involved is great and adds to the enjoyment of it all. Everyone was having a great time in the Presidents room,” David said after the gelding won the Group One Rowe Cup in Auckland last Friday night.

The five year old is raced by Peter Baken, Richard Cole, Phil and Glenys Kennard, the Breckon Racing Syndicate, Marlene White, Carl Markham, Andrew Di lorio, Polly Marriott, the estate of Wayne Ramsay and the Odds On Syndicate which is Stacey White and Matthew Pedan.

White says quite a number of the group have also invested in the two yearlings he and Stacey purchased at the yearling sales this year.

While campaigning in the north Bet N Win has been housed at Stonewall Stud’s northern barn and David has been away from home for six weeks.

“It’s been tough being away from the kids and Stacey. She’s been doing an amazing job at home looking after an eighteen month old and a two month old. I think she had the tougher job!”

Friday’s win was Bet N Win’s biggest in just twenty two starts.

After missing a key lead up race some were concerned the horse may have gone into the two mile trotting feature a run short. But as White pointed out, Bet N Win has a fine record in a fresh state.

“That was one thing we had in the back of our minds, how well he does go fresh. We thought being a month between runs wouldn’t be too much of an issue for him.”

And as it turned out Bet N Win did get a run to suit a horse with fresh legs, but it wasn’t an easy watch for his trainers.

“When Mighty Logan put a few rough ones in front of us down the back straight it was a bit nerve wracking. There was a bit on from the 600 when they were running off the fence, so it was a bit of a tough watch. The last 100 when Mr Love was coming at him we were a little bit worried but we know how hard our horse tries and (how hard he) is to get past. To his credit he dug really deep and managed to hold him off.”

As a mark of respect for the passing of Australian driver Greg Sugars, Bet N Win had a red and green ribbon plaited into his mane.

“Stacey and Jess (Sugar’s wife Jess Tubbs) have been great mates for fifteen years. We’ve spent quite a bit of time with them when they’ve come over. We’ve been to their place a few times. It’s great to have our name beside Greg’s and Just Believe’s (last year’s Rowe Cup winner) forever. It’s pretty cool.”

Bet N Win will fly back to Canterbury tomorrow.

“It seems like he’s pulled up really well at his stage. He’ll have a week or two in the paddock then he’ll just muck around at Bob’s (Butt) on the water walker and on the beach for a few weeks. Then we’ll start to work him down for the Brisbane trip.”

The Brisbane trip is to the Ladbrokes Interdominion Championship on June 30^th  for the $500,000 Trotters Final.

This will be Bet N Win’s second trip to Albion Park.

He made a big statement when he won his Australian harness racing debut in the Listed The Stellar Square but was unable to race in the Group One $150,000 The Great Square because of an injury.

“The way he raced in his first race over there and then to miss his main target, it does feel like there’s a bit of unfinished business. It would be great to get back over there and pull off one of the big ones.”

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink