Horse racing: Bet N Win has belief to strike from behind

Bob Butt riding Bet N Win to victory at Ashburton in October.

The way Bob Butt looks at it, Bet N Win has lost a weapon but been gifted an opportunity in today’s $400,000 Renwick Farms Dominion at Addington.

Well, that is the optimistic version, anyway.

Butt drives the 4-year-old, who has very quickly developed into possibly the best trotter in New Zealand after retirements, injuries and issues have taken their toll on a once-golden crop.

Bet N Win is both fluent and fast, but has drawn the second line in today’s Group 1 trot, which is half his problem – the other half being Australian champion trotter Just Believe drawing barrier two.

The always laughing, enthusiastic Butt is going glass-half-full on this one.

“Yes, the second line takes away the advantage of his manners because had he drawn the front line, he could have led and maybe even parked out Just Believe,” says Butt.

“So now to beat him, we are probably going to have to come from behind him, which will be very hard and maybe impossible.

“But looking on the bright side, that also means the pressure is off. If we don’t beat him, people will understand why. But if we do, he will become a superstar.

“And regardless of the result, because we are probably going to have to move mid-race, how he goes will tell us where we stand and what races David and Stacey [trainers] should aim him for in the next six months.”

Just Believe is so brilliant and brave it is hard to bet against him and he will act as the multi anchor for many today, with Bet N Win and defending Dominion champ Oscar Bonavena the only realistic Kiwi winning chances, should the Victorian not bring his A-game.

Butt is even more realistic about his drive Dalton Shard in the New Zealand Cup, saying he will be looking for shortcuts, but he could be the driver to follow on today’s undercard.

He thinks Forgiveness (R1, No 12) can win if she behaves while Dynasty (R2, No 8) is spot on and will be put into the race early.

“Gold Bullion is favourite in Race 3 and he can win for sure but I am just a little worried about it being a 2000 metre stand as he can be a stride slow at the start. But he is dropping a long way in class.”


Butt trains both Reklaw’s Dream and Classic Elegance in the $200,000 Nevele R. Fillies Final and rates the latter at least a place chance for visiting Australian reinsman Brad Hewitt, whose wife owns part of the filly – so he has made the trip to drive her.

The Lazarus Effect (R6, No 16) won his only start and is a horse Butt loves and says the second line draw in a big field is his only real concern. “I’ve also got Xlendi, Ready Set Jet in and I’m driving Neverseentherain and they can all get some of it.”

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.