Stacey White can’t wait to get to Brisbane. The “trip of redemption” as she calls it is about to hit top gear.
Not only is star trotter Bet N Win right on target for the Inter Dominion trotting series, but stable newcomer Betterthancash has emerged as a genuine contender for the $350,000 Group 1 Rising Sun. Both will be in action Saturday week and White, along with young sons Lachlan and William, will land in Brisbane the day before that to join husband and co-trainer, David.
“After so many years working on the media and marketing side of the sport, it’s weird being on the other side for something as big as an Inter Dominion,” White said. “I grew up watching great horses win the big races and to have one of our own is pretty hard to believe, really. It’s very exciting. It’s the sort of thing you dream of but never think will actually happen.”
Bet N Win, who booked his Queensland raid with a timely return to winning form in the Group 1 Rowe Cup on May 2, effortlessly won his only start since with a “stopover” victory in a 2300m Menangle free-for-all last Saturday night. Earlier in the night, Betterthancash ran a slashing second to fellow Kiwi pacer Pinseeker, in the opening race. Betterthancash’s run thrilled the Whites and driver Bob Butt after he spent early petrol to lead and stuck on so well.
“They head to Brisbane Friday and David said he couldn’t be happier,” White said. “Bet N Win looks one of the best hopes in a fascinating trotting series. It’s a bit hard to line them up because the key runners are coming from different places and formlines. I’m just thrilled David is so happy with him.”
It’s a trip of redemption because 12 months ago Bet N Win brilliantly won the Stellar Square at his first Albion Park run and looked to have the Group 1 Great Square at his mercy the following week. That’s until he developed a hoof abscess which eventually forced him out of the Great Square and ended his Brisbane hopes.
“I’ve been saying to people at home, we’re going back to finish what we started,” White said.
Betterthancash, who won seven of 25 NZ runs for Regan Todd, will face a star-studded mix of three and four-year-olds in the Rising Sun, headed by the likes of Bay Of Biscay, The Janitor, Rubira and Fate Awaits. “His gate speed was the exciting part the other night, hopefully he draws to use it next week,” White said.
“Even though things went wrong in Brisbane last year, David and I still rate that Stellar Square win as one of our greatest moments when we travelled a horse for the first time. It’ll be great to get back and be part of what looks like a terrific few weeks of racing.”
The Whites did salvage something last year, picking up three-year-old Major Hot to train before he went on to upset Bay Of Biscay in the Group 1 Queensland Derby.