Bet N Win retired - "he's been a life and career-changing horse for us"

While David and Stacey White are incredibly grateful for the "life-changing" ride they have had with Bet N Win, there is still an underlying sense of what might have been.

The dual Group 1 winner has been retired after it was determined his chances of returning to an elite level of racing were slim.

"It's heart-breaking," says Stacey. "We know how good he is and we all got a glimpse of that. It's disappointing for him that he didn't get to continue to show people what he was truly capable of."

At his best, the What The Hill gelding was right up there with the best trotters in Australasia.

He won seven races in a row on both sides of the Tasman in 2023-24, a remarkable run that announced him as a genuine open-class trotter. Then, after claiming his biggest victory in the Group 1 Rowe Cup at Alexandra Park last year, he headed to Brisbane and added two Inter Dominion heats before finishing a brave second to Arcee Phoenix in the Final.

At the time, it looked as though Bet N Win was poised to achieve great things, and driver Bob Butt played a key role in helping him reach those heights.

“Bob Butt played a huge part in his success. It wasn't just what he did with him in the sulky, but also the time Kenny spent at Bob's stable throughout his career. Bob was a massive part of his development, and I don't think he would have become the horse he was without him,” says Stacey.

But following a few below-par races, including his fifth placing in the Group 2 Lyell Creek Stakes at Alexandra Park in March this year, the Whites sensed something was not quite right. It turned out to be his last race.

A scintigraphy (bone scan) diagnosed a problem with his fetlocks.

After a few months of rest and rehabilitation, there was renewed hope that Bet N Win might make his way back to the track. His comeback was looking increasingly possible before another setback changed everything, with a diagnosis of a problem in a hind suspensory.

"They are not related," says Stacey. "It's just very unfortunate."

The injury is serious enough for the Whites to make the difficult call to retire him.

“The chances of him making a full recovery and getting back to the level he would need to be at to do himself justice are very slim. It would be a huge ask.”

For a horse who has given them so much, it is a bittersweet end to a career that promised even more.

Bred by Breckon Farms, Bet N Win was purchased by the Whites for $32,500 at the 2021 National Yearling Sale at Karaka. He retires with 15 wins from just 34 starts and $562,235 in stakes, an outstanding record that only hints at the talent he possessed.

"The biggest thank you has to go to our owners," says Stacey. "They backed us every step of the way, from taking a share in him after we purchased him at the sales right through until we made the decision to retire him. Getting to enjoy all the highs with this group has made the experience even more special for us."

"He's been a life and career-changing horse for us," says Stacey.

But while the Whites had hoped Bet N Win still had plenty more to give on the racetrack, they are determined to give him the happy and well-deserved retirement he has earned.

"He owes us nothing. It has been a privilege to train him and he has taught us so much that we can take forward in our training careers. Now it's our turn to look after him and give him the retirement he deserves."

Bet N Win will remain with the Whites, who are based at Ashburton Raceway, and is already beginning his transition into life away from racing.

"We put the saddle on him for the first time this week and eventually he'll be a riding horse for our two boys. He is, and always will be, part of the family."

"He'll be the paddock pet," added David.

It is not the future they had hoped would await the best horse they have ever trained, but there is plenty of pride, and immense gratitude, as they look back on the journey.

"We are so grateful we had him, a lot of people wait a lifetime and never get a horse as good as him," says Stacey.

For Bet N Win, the racetrack chapter may have closed sooner than anyone wanted. But the memories of the wins, the big-race performances and the extraordinary journey he took the Whites on will endure for a long time yet.