Son of Betterthancheddar wins $50,000 Classic

A breeding “tragedy”, an act of generosity and a burning desire to have another run at the harness racing top-level circuit are just three of the elements that make up the story of Betternbetter.

The precocious young pacer's trainer, Keith Cotchin, hopes this fella can take him and his family on a path they have tread previously with a mighty steed named Tanabi Bromac.

Last night Betternbetter scored his biggest win to date in the Group 2 Empire Stallions Vicbred Platinum Home Grown Classic Pacing Colts and Geldings Final at Tabcorp Park Melton, the two-year-old gelding expertly driven by Greg Sugars getting the better of a gritty Im Sir Blake in the concluding stages of the 1720-metre event.

“He couldn’t have done any more,” Cotchin said of the 1:54.3 win.

“He has worked around both turns, hung on the home turn and the other horse (Im Sir Blake) has got a break on him. He’s really had to dig deep and it’s the sign of a good horse that he was able to keep on coming.”

Betternbetter’s victory made it three from four for the Betterthancheddar/Cee Cee Sheffield youngster, who was bred by Denis Pangrazio.

Pangrazio races the horse with Cotchin and the trainer's wife, Shelly, and is a major part of this backstory.

“We got the horse through a tragedy,” Cotchin said.

“The mare had a dead foal and we decided to give the breeding away. We gave the service to Denis and said ‘you can use it’. He put a bit more money with it and went to Betterthancheddar, and then said that me and Shelly were going to race this one with him, so I never got a say.

“It’s good when people do that sort of thing … and here we are tonight.”

The quinella pair finished about 20m clear of third placegetter Young Rooster last night and Betternbetter will now focus on the Empire Stallions Vicbred Super Series as his mid-term target before potentially a crack at the Breeders Crown.

Cotchin said the opportunity to race a horse such as Betternbetter was “just fantastic at this stage” of his career and he hopes the pacer can emulate some of the deeds achieved by Tanabi Bromac, who Cotchin trained to win a Victoria Derby, multiple country cups and contest an Inter Dominion series.

“We’re only a small stable. Tanabi Bromac was a great horse and we never thought we’d get anything like that again. To have a horse like this, and at the end of my career, it’s just fantastic.”

Hear from Cotchin and other participants filmed live last night at Tabcorp Park Melton

Trots Media – Cody Winnell