Benita shows them who’s the boss

George Benyon was just four the last time the family’s brown and green hoops were carried to victory in a Group race, so the outpouring of emotion the now 74-year-old showed when Bossy Benita blitzed home in the Mannerism Stakes (1400m) was entirely understandable. 

Some 70 years after Bendrum – all the Benyon family’s horses contain ‘Ben’ somewhere in their name – won six races on the spin including the Thousand Guineas (1600m) in 1956, Bossy Benita gave her Mannerism rivals a galloping lesson to spark scenes of wild jubilation in the Caulfield mounting yard.   

With her next start pencilled in for either the VOBIS Gold Distaff (1400m) or the inaugural VOBIS Gold So Si Bon (1400m) on Victorian Owners and Breeders Raceday next Saturday, Benyon, his wife Debra and sons David and Tim will again make the long journey from Albury to Caulfield in the hope that the swashbuckling mare can continue her rampaging run for in-form Mornington trainer Michael Mehegan. 

The fact that Bossy Benita – or Betty as she is affectionately known – is racing at all is a minor miracle, given she came close to catastrophe during a trackwork mishap last spring when she dumped her rider and took flight, crashing through the running rail in a state of panic before eventually being rescued.

Her subsequent run in the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) was one of the few times she has failed to figure in the finish in 14 career starts, but after an extended summer holiday the daughter of the late, great So You Think has returned with a renewed sense of poise and purpose this preparation. 

Following her valiant third on resumption in the Group 3 Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes (1200m) – a race Mehegan won on two previous occasions with his former flagbearer Prussian Vixen – Bossy Benita relished the step up to 1400m in the Mannerism to deliver her trainer a third Stakes success and end a seven-decade drought for her managing owner. 

“As you can imagine we all had a lot of fun on the Saturday evening after her win,” said Benyon, who together with his wife runs the successful Café Borellas and adjoining Peards garden centre in Albury.

“We’ve literally waited a lifetime to win a Group race, so you’ve got to enjoy it. We’re only small owners and we’ve had some pretty good horses along the journey, but I’d say this girl is the best of the lot. She’s just a natural racehorse and she’s very hard to catch when she gets out in front. 

“When you see your family colours out in the lead in a Stakes race on Blue Diamond Day, it’s a pretty big thrill I can tell you. Our family hadn’t won a Group race since 1956, so it’s been a fair while between drinks but it was well worth the wait. I’ve been involved in racing all my life but for a long time our café business took over and was the main priority for the family. 

“But racing gives us a great outlet, our boys David and Timmy are also in the horse and it’s just been a wonderful bonding experience for the whole family. We all work in the family business and sometimes you get so busy you can lose sight of what’s important, but the horses we own together have really brought us closer together as a family. The boys have really enjoyed the ride and David’s kids were at Caulfield when she won, they even got interviewed after the race so we all had a great time.” 

With his late father Roy enjoying some racetrack success, firstly as an owner and then a trainer, racing has been in Benyon’s blood for as long as he can remember. 

Keen to reinvest some of his hard-earned funds into his passion for racing, he put in some calls to other contacts in the racing industry and was recommended Mehegan as a boutique trainer who punches well above his weight with the limited resources at his disposal. 

Mehegan, who runs his Mornington operation with his wife Shannon, currently trains six horses for the Benyons including The Benchmark, who recently won a heat of the lucrative Ladbrokes Future Stars Series before finishing sixth in the $250,000 final. 

And although training methods have changed beyond all recognition in the intervening years, with the introduction of sports science and advancement in technology, Benyon still sees some similarities between his father and Mehegan – particularly in terms of their work ethic.     

“Dad taught me everything I know about racing”, said Benyon, a natural extrovert who persuaded some of his customers to jump into Bossy Benita’s ownership group during a casual conversation at his café.

“Dad owned Bendrum, who was trained by Charlie Waymouth, then he trained a few good horses himself including Rising Rocket, who won 13 times in Melbourne. The horse got beaten in its first 18 starts but Dad knew that once he got him right, he’d start winning. Sure enough his patience was rewarded and he won his next five starts, so racing can teach you a lot about life.   

“Dad always used to say that you need to sleep with your horses if you want them to win, he thought about them 24 hours a day and I think Michael [Mehegan] is much the same. He does a great job with his small team and he’s as honest as the day is long. I’ve got six horses with him, Bossy Benita is clearly the best but The Benchmark is also showing a bit of talent so hopefully we can have a bit of fun with him.”