River Breaks Maidens In Style with Impressive Harness Million Victory

River (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight) may have taken her time to score her maiden victory, but she did it in style at Alexandra Park last Friday night when taking out the $150,000 Listed NZB Standardbred Harness Million 3YO Fillies Final (2200m).

The daughter of Bettor’s Delight was having just her third start for Canterbury horseman Bob Butt, who was confident of a bold showing despite her unplaced run in the Group Two Caduceus Club 3YO Fillies Ladyship Stakes (2200m) seven days prior.

She burnt off the gate and took an early lead for Butt before handing up to Queen Lizzy (NZ) (Captaintreacherous) down the back straight. River continued to stalk Queen Lizzy throughout and when the latter’s driver Crystal Hackett pushed the go button at the 400m, the field quickly opened up, but River continued to be glued to her back.

Butt opted not to wait for the passing lane and sent his charge around Queen Lizzy at the turn and the two entered a duel up the home straight, with River getting the better of Queen Lizzy in the concluding stages to win by 4-¾ lengths, with a further 16-½ lengths back to Smackdown (NZ) (Downbytheseaside) in third.

Butt has had a good opinion of River since she joined his stable at the start of the season and he was rapt to get the win for her owners. 

“She has been flying under the radar, she has always been a bit better than a maiden,” Butt said. “We set her for this race this time in and it paid off.”

Bred by Dancingonmoonlight Ltd, River is out of Lady Giplin (NZ) (Somebeachsomewhere), a half-sister to six time Group One winner Belle Of Montana (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight) and Delightful Kas (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight), the dam of Group One winner Rubira (NZ) (Always B Miki).

While unraced, Lady Giplin has proven to be a great producer, being the dam of 2025 Harness Million, and Group One winner Stella Rouge (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight).

By champion sire Bettor’s Delight, River is a three-quarter sister to Belle Of Montana and a full-sister to Stella Rouge, and with a broodmare career in mind she was recently purchased off Jean Feiss, who had originally bought her out of Dancingonmoonlight’s 2024 National Yearling Sale draft for $80,000.

River quickly rewarded her new connections with a black-type result and Butt is hoping there is more to come for the filly.

“Todd and Fleur Anderson bought her as a broodmare for when she finishes (racing) and everything is sort of a bonus, and this is a good bonus,” Butt said.

“She is a lovely filly and came with great manners coming from Mark and Nath (Purdon). She has been easy.”

River has now won one of her 13 starts and has earned more than $105,000 in prizemoney.

Vendor	Dancingonmoonlight Ltd
Purchaser	Mrs JL Feiss
Owner(s)	T R Anderson, Mrs F N Anderson, Mrs S M Lagan, R J Butt, B Tapper, Miss J Anderson, Miss B Anderson, B Anderson, M Aitken, J Anderson, P Aitken
Breeding	Bettor's Delight - Lady Gilpin
Sale	2024 NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sale, Christchurch ($80,000)
Breeder(s)	Dancingonmoonlight Limited