De Armas and Kelly Myers bolted away with the Counties Challenge Stakes at Pukekohe. Photo / Kenton Wright
Karaka Millions favourite De Armas is more than just a very fast filly.
She is the poster girl for believing in yourself and not being scared to do things your own way.
The juvenile flyer started a huge day for sire Ardrossan at Pukekohe on Saturday by bolting away from a luckless Harvey Wallbanger in the listed Counties Challenge Stakes, rocketing to favouritism for our richest 2-year-old race at Ellerslie, which takes place in two months from today.
De Armas may have only cost $16,000 online but will head to Ellerslie with some serious Karaka Millions pedigree, trainer Johno Benner being the first horseman to train the winner of both the Two- and Three-Year-Old Millions, with Vespa in 2014 and Scott Base in 2018.
Benner has always been an innovator, never scared of doing things his own way. Which is why he gave up training horses.
He may be back doing what he loves now but the Ōtaki horseman had the courage to leave the industry when the love waned.
“It was a couple of years ago when I just didn’t feel right about it all,” Benner told the Herald.
“I had had a lot of success, much of it when training with Hollie [Wynyard, former partner] and sold a lot of horses too but I lost my love for the game.
“The relentless nature of it, the long hours and no days off took the fun out of it and one day I had an owner abusing me because I had scratched his horse from a stakes race because we couldn’t get the right jockey.
“I went home that night and thought, after all the winners I had had for that owner and how hard I work, I don’t deserve this shit.
“Ironically, the horse came out and won the next weekend proving me right, but it wasn’t about that.
“My Dad, Mike, had died not long before and I thought, is this all I am ever going to do and never have a break from it?
“I realised that wasn’t healthy so I packed up the stable and took a break because it was the best thing for me.”
Benner all but disappeared from racing for nine months, just training a couple of his own horses for fun.
“It was really good for me, to get away from the grind, to not have to worry about racing and to do things for myself,” the 37-year-old said.
“I worry not enough racing people do it and I realise not everybody can but working almost 12 months a year for 30 or 40 years just can’t be healthy for anybody.”
Benner’s ability is matched by his confidence and he admits it is easier to take time off from the industry when you think you can pick back up again where you left off.
Which he has.
Benner is back training 12 horses and says that could grow to 20 but he wants to stay small, surround himself with the right people, like long-time friend Simon Barber, the co-owner of De Armas.
“Simon has been magic to me so to have a really good filly for him, and she is a good filly, and another good mate of ours in Sam Pinfold, it makes the ride so much more enjoyable.”
Pinfold is the caddie for champion Australian golfer Cameron Smith, which means he is going to come in handy for more than just paying horse-training bills next year.
Because Benner is adamant while he is back in racing, he is never going back on its never-ending hamster wheel.
“I have learned from my past and I want to have a work/life balance,” he said.
“I want to win big races, I want to train for good people and go to the sales and buy good horses, I love doing that stuff.
“But I don’t want it to be the only thing in my life.
“So next year, I have already booked to take three weeks completely away and go to The Masters at Augusta.
“I think you can do both, be a really good trainer but also enjoy your life.”
If De Armas can win the Karaka Millions, you can bet Benner won’t have to pay for those Masters tickets.
Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald’s Racing Editor in 1995 and covers the world’s biggest horse racing carnivals.