AN EMOTIONAL ride for Bendigo trainer Kym Hann and connections of She's Beneficial will end at Monday's Swan Hill meeting.
The much-loved six-year-old mare is set to have her final race start for Bendigo's 2017-18 season leading trainer in a 1300m benchmark 58 sprint.
She's Beneficial still carries among its owners the name of much-loved racing identity Donna Philpot, who died in a track fall at the Bendigo Jockey Club in June, 2017.
The mare will again be ridden by Donna's daughter Jessie Philpot, who was on-board when she ran second behind her stable-mate Elmore Lad in last month's Donna Philpot Memorial Handicap at Bendigo.
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She's Beneficial has had two runs since for a fourth at Echuca over 1100m in late-July, and a sixth at Sandown on August 14, when she finished just 4.5 lengths away from the winer.
Hann said it was sad calling time on the daughter of Group 1-winner Benfica and Dansanna.
"She's just about had enough and it's probably time to go to the breeding barn," he said.
"It's been good to have been a part of her, but all things do come to an end and unfortunately that time has come.
"I'm still unsure about what the ownership are going to do, that's a bit of an unknown."
She's Beneficial has rarely run a bad race in her 12 starts for Hann, for a win, two placings and a trio of fourths.
The mare started her race career in 2016 under former jockey-turned trainer Gus Philpot, who gave training away following the tragic death of wife Donna.
Her overall record stands at 25 starts, four wins and four placings for earnings of nearly $90,000 and plenty of fond memories.
The mare will always hold a special place in Hann's heart, as she will no doubt in plenty of others, especially the Philpot family and her ownership group.
"We've won in town with her, she's placed in town and she gave me my first city double - she's been a great horse of us," he said of the mare, whose undoubted highlight was her 1250m win at Morphettville in July last year, less than 90 minutes after All About Nicci also won for the stable.
"Unfortunately she couldn't get the (Donna Philpot Memorial race) the other way around, but that's racing.
"We've sure had a lot of fun along the way."
This will be Jessie Philpot's fourth ride on She's Beneficial - her first came in the inaugural edition of the race named after her mother in 2018.
Hann has every confidence the mare can go out in style
"She's back to a benchmark 58 - she only got beaten 4.5 lengths in town in a (benchmark) 70 last time," he said.
"She's been around the mark in 58s.
"There is one of (Ciaron) Maher's that's looks to be an up-and-coming horse (Haipara), but she's in there and is going to have every chance.
"It does look a good race for her and hopefully when can get a win with Jess on her."
Hann will have at least one other runner at Swan Hill, with the former Darren Weir galloper Last Request first-up after a 33-week spell.
Elmore Lad is the second emergency in a 1200m benchmark 70 event.
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