Mates dealt an ace with brilliant juvenile Plymouth Chubb

While the cards have often fallen the right way throughout Gary Benson’s journey as a top-level poker player, it has taken well over two decades for him to be dealt a really good hand in his passion for harness racing.

But now he’s hit the jackpot.

The 64-year-old, who holds a World Series of Poker bracelet and was an inaugural inductee into the Australian Poker Hall of Fame, bred and races champion young squaregaiter Plymouth Chubb with long-time friend Steven Hegyi.

The horse goes in search of a staggering 14th-straight victory in tonight’s Vicbred Super Series 2YO Trotting Colts and Geldings Final at Tabcorp Park Melton, where he is a hot favourite to land a fourth Group 1 success.

After being beaten on debut, Plymouth Chubb has won his next 13 starts, including the elite level Home Grown Classic, Redwood Classic and Breeders Crown Final.

“I saw him win the first Group 1 back in May,” Benson said.

“I’ve been racing trotters for like 26 or 27 years or something like that and that was my first Group 1.

“I’m just over the moon. I can’t stop thinking about how good he is and how lucky myself and Steven Hegyi are owning him.

“He’s probably the best two-year-old trotter Australia has ever seen…”

Benson and Hegyi started racing horses back in the mid-1990s when they purchased a mare by the name of Kims Fantasy. She had a successful career on the track before being sent to sire In The Pocket. The resulting foal was Pocket Fantasy, who is the mother of Plymouth Chubb.

The robust, powerful brown gelding has been top of his two-year-old class basically from the outset and warmed up for tonight’s $100,000 feature with a heat win at Maryborough on December 20.

He will face a full field of 11 rivals in the final, but is widely expected to go on his winning ways and cap a remarkable season for legendary 77-year-old trainer Peter Manning, who prepares the horse from his Great Western base. Manning’s daughter, champion reinswoman Kerryn, has been in the sulky for 11 of his victories and takes the drive this evening.

“Peter is very laid-back and easy going, but obviously he’s a master horseman and I just love the job he’s done with our horses over the years, particularly this one,” said Benson, who resides in Sydney.

“The money is probably not going to change our lives too much – it’s nice to get – but it’s just the thrill of winning, being part of it and finally having a good horse.”

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