Better’s Tart wins Roxburgh Cup

In an inch perfect drive by Kimberly Butt, harness racing mare Better’s Tart (Bettor’s Delight) came with the last run to win the $20,000 Peters Genetics Roxburgh Cup today.

Driver Kimberly Butt got Better’s Tart away brilliantly from the 20 metre mark, settling fifth as Mach Quillan took up the pacemaking role.

“You don’t muck around with the stands down there. You walk in and let them go so that suited her,” co-trainer Brent White said.

Butt moved off the running line with 1500 metres to run to sit parked. With just under a lap to run Heisenberg came round and gave Better’s Tart cover. 

“Something had to come out and when Heisenberg came round it gave her a bit of a breather.”

Heisenberg started to stop and Butt was forced to make her move coming out three wide but she still had a number of lengths to make up on Mach Quillan. Better’s Tart cornered perfectly and came down the middle of the track to beat Boudica by a neck with a game Mach Quillan a nose back in third.

BETTER’S TART REPLAY

The winning time of 3-19.5 was a new race, track, mares and allcomers record. Enchantee (3-24.7) held the previous mares record while Memphis Tennessee (3-21.5) held the track, race and allcomers record.

White was quick to shift the training compliments onto his son and co-trainer Tim, and stable driver Kimberly Butt.

“Tim and Kim do a lot of work with this horse. Kim’s been with us for about twelve months, works part time in the mornings and has driven about half a dozen winners for us now,” Brent said.

It was the first time Better’s Tart has raced on the tight Roxburgh track but that held no fears for the stable.

“She’s a pretty good gaited horse that only wears a short hopple. We couldn’t go anywhere else until after the 1st of January because we wanted to start in the Southern Belle Series and if we had a higher than 70 rating, we couldn’t start in it.”

Today’s win was the mare’s seventh and White says she’s got better with racing. 

“I think she’s got better by chasing those good horses. I could never separate her and Mabalene when they both raced in the Southern Belle. The Telfers always had one better every time.”

Better’s Tart will head home with Branxholme trainer Alister White tonight and will line up in the first heat at the Northern Southland meeting at Ascot Park on 19th January. 

The mare is raced by Opawa Downs Limited and is out of the Live Or Die mare Top Tart. The breed was developed by the late Noel Drake and his fabulous mare Cirrus. She left Motu Princess, Hurricane Kiwi and Motu Prince all of which won seven races.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart for Harnesslink