Bettor’s Delight gelding wins his second trot race

Well-bred Bettor’s Delight gelding Cody Banner won his second race at Ascot Park today for harness racing trainer Ricky Allen.

Bettor’s Delight is a well-known champion sire of pacers, having left a total of 3,788 winners in that gait but he’s also left a handful of trotters (the winners of 35 races) and Cody Banner is one of those.

He was bought at the 2017 National Yearling Sales in Christchurch by Otago trainer Graeme Anderson.

“They had difficulty getting him to pace and he was used as a galloping pace maker. He then went to Ashburton where he was trained by Brent White,” Allen said.

Anderson took him to one workout and White to two before he was taken on by Allen. He had four unsuccessful trials before he qualified at Oamaru in December 2019.

“Graeme rang be one day and said the horse might be better suited on the beach. I’ve always liked him. He’s a tough wee thing but he’s just got to get his gait organised because he hops and skips a bit. He was on a warning today.”

Perhaps Cody Banner sensed he was on notice today because he put his best foot forward for driver Matty Williamson.

“You pick your battles. It was a race that suited him today, being off a mark (handicap). It was a good stake and he’s eligible for the Gold Chip Final.”

Cody Banner began well from the 30 metre mark settling at the back of the field. With 1300 metres to run Williamson sent the second favourite forward to sit parked outside leader Tease My Tartan.

Cody Banner sitting outside Tease My Tartan with a lap to run

Just before the top of the straight Williamson took Cody Banner to the lead and he trotted down to the line to win by one and half lengths from My Hope.

Cody Banner stretching out to win his second race

“It was a lovely drive from Matty. He held him together and moved when he should have. Matty’s always liked him he said, he’s got a big heart and tries hard.”

Allen said the five year old still doesn’t have the perfect gait.

“Having him on the beach has been good for him – running in a straight line and building his confidence. Since I’ve had him he’s always wanted to trot. That’s his natural gait.”

Cody Banner is out of a good family and he has Stars and Stripes and Lazarus in his pedigree.

Anderson still owns the gelding with good stable clients Ray Chaiklin, Tony Gow, and Steve Pulley along with Allen, who trains from a thirty five acre property at Patiki Beach which is located between Hampden and Palmerston.

“It suits my style of living and my style of training because we have six kilometres of beach there. It’s relatively low key. We just munch around and we never flatten them on the beach. There’s always something left in the tank.”

Allen has a small team in work including a two year old Creatine filly owned by Stephen Heffernan. Her third dam is the globetrotting mare Pride Of Petite – the winner of twenty four races and $414,996.

“Having Matty training at Oamaru is a plus for us all. He can help fast work our horses if the beach is rough. I know Darryn Simpson uses him as well.”

View the Ascot Park results click here!

by Bruce Stewart