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Matai Mackenzie (outer) collars City Rogue

2000 HIH INSURANCE WELCOME STAKES

Don't say a word against City Rogue after he was overhauled in the last stride by Matai Mackenzie in the HIH Insurance Welcome Stakes. After being in front and left clear in the straight, City Rogue was doing little more than racing himself over the last 200 metres.

Near the end, he started to lose focus, and was oblivious to the challenge from Matai Mackenzie coming wide on the track. And while driver David Butt did his best to keep his mind on it, Matai Mackenzie had more purpose to his finish and won the Group 2 by a nose. "He wanders round a bit by himself. I was frightened to go for him too soon," he said. Lack of experience and losing his competition so soon was the difference between first and second, but a fair reflection on where they stood amongst the others; Niobium, the third horse home and City Rogue's stablemate, was more than four lengths behind them.

Matai Mackenzie is one of the much publicised and highly successful horses bought as a yearling and raced by the ATC Trot 2000 Syndicate. He is trained by Barry Purdon who selected him at Karaka and made a 2-year-old of him when every feature of him suggested he would not be available until he was three. "He was big as a yearling and right from the start he came along nicely. He could really scoot a good half. I cut him when he started growing quite a bit and I have always gone quietly with him. He has just got better and better," he said.

In just six starts, Matai Mackenzie has topped $100,000 and with two bigger races than the Welcome coming up this month, it is quite possible he could double his earnings before the winter. Purdon said his only concern had been with a heel infection that had affected all his feet. "It was quite bad and Katrina (Purdon) bathed them twice a day until they came right," He said. At 16 hands, Matai Mackenzie is perhaps the tallest 2-year-old Purdon has raced and the great Chokin is the only one he said who would fit he same category. "I have spaced his races and he has enjoyed it. Being so tall and lean, he doesn't carry a lot of weight, so I don't work him too hard," he said.

Matai Mackenzie is by Jaguar Spur, who has been relatively inconspicuous on the siring lists, met with little patronage at the stud in Australia and is likely to return here next season. Purdon has had a few of them, and one of them is a filly who he thinks is okay.
One of the syndicates organised by the ATC also has a Soky's Atom filly from Mary Morris, Purdon bought for them at Christchurch for $14,000.

Of the 50 or so in the syndicate which races Matai Mackenzie, six or seven were at Addington to see him, but 30 are expected for his race on May 5 and another 30 the following week. Syndicate member Steve Stockman said efficient management of the syndicate was a key to its success. "When the bank gets up to $10,000, the members automatically get a payment of $200. The last cheque they were paid was $800. They each get a monthly newsletter of three or four pages, there is a weekly update and an 0800 number, and the latest syndicates are seventy per cent full," he said.


Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 27Apr00

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2000 PGG YEARLING SALES SERIES 3YO FILLIES PACE

The $96,500 Pyne Gould Guinness Sales Series Pace had an ironic twist to it. First home in the 3-year-old fillies event was Ciccio Star, who is raced by the Ciccio Breeding Syndicate; last home was Belle Matao, who is part-owned by Phil Creighton. Creighton was supposed to be part of Ciccio Star's syndicate, but on the morning of that the two fillies went under the hammer at Karaka he pulled out, wanting to buy one on his own.

"We had marked down four that we wanted to bid on - Belle Matao, Ciccio Star and two others," recalled Sandy Yarndley. Yarndley and his wife Jan bred Ciccio Star themselves, and jumped at the chance to be involved in a syndicate, regardless of which horse they ended up buying. "After Phil pulled out the group couldn't afford to bid on Belle Matao, and Phil bought her by himself. She was the dearest of the four of them; the one we bought, Ciccio Star, was the cheapest," he said.

Knocked down to them for $23,000, Ciccio Star took her earnings to $91,893 when she shot out of the trail to snatch victory. It was a great thrill for the Ciccio Breeding Syndicate, which also consists of the Yarndley's son Scott; retired Dunedin resident Jim Pattison; Auckland's Max Hunter, who handled the bidding on Sale day; Chris and Shona Quinlan, of Te Awamutu, and Helen McPherson of Hamilton.

Trained by Barry Purdon, Ciccio Star showed ability from an early age. "Mike Berger broke her in, and liked her enough to think she would make a 2-year-old, so we pressed on," Purdon said. "She did alright at that age, winning two and running a couple of nice seconds, but then she was a little disappointing when she came back at the start of this season. She is pretty competative at home, so I changed her work around a bit and it seems to have helped," he said.

Both Purdon and Ciccio Star's reinsman Tony Herlihy agreed that the filly's performance to finish second at Alexandra Park late last month was a turning point. "She did a bit of work to get around them and lead that night, and was only beaten a nose by Glenburn Comet," Herlihy said. "Then she came out a week later and beat a nice field of C1s, that was a good effort too," he said.

Having won four of her 15 starts, Ciccio Star will now be aimed at a heat of the Hydroflow series, hopefully qualifying for the Final at Addington on May 12.

Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 23Feb00

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2000 CHRISTCHURCH CASINO NZ TROTTING STAKES

Freak filly Enthusiast is on a mission to put together the most lucrative 3-year-old trotting campaign ever and it seems only a train can stop her after she again demoralised her opponents in the $25,000 Christchurch Casino NZ Trotting Stakes.

The Chiola Hanover chestnut, also last season's 2yo Trotting Stakes winner, has cleaned up this year's Hambletonian Classic by five lengths in 1:59.5, Sires' Stakes Championship, Rosso Antica by five lengths and the 3yo Trotting Stakes by five and a half lengths and now embarks on an Australian campaign where probably another five feature trots are at her mercy. She could conceivably win nine 3-year-old features this season and 10 in total by the end of age group racing. And the record of sorts she will be chasing is one shared by former stablemate Above The Stars, who five seasons ago won every feature available to him in Australasia - six.

In 1996/97, Galleon's Paradise won six feature 3-year-old trots, but neither the Trotting Stakes or Rosso Antico. Enthusiast gets the opportunity to set new standards because she is a filly and has a race like the Victoria Oaks at her disposal, but that fact makes the feat all the more remarkable. Fillies are not supposed to be better than colts, but Enthusiast can already lay claim to being as good if not better than any young trotter seen in this part of the world.

Trainer Paul Nairn and driver David Butt are of course in the perfect position to compare and both agree that while Above The Stars and Enthusiast are "as good as it gets," the filly is the better racehorse. "Above The Stars could be difficult to drive, but Enthusiast is perfectly mannered," said Butt. "She does everthing right and relaxes off the bit, and the further they go, the more she loves it," he added.

So when did Nairn begin to think he might have something special - another one that is after the likes of Above The Stars, Call Me Now, Last Game, Marvin, Shine, Special Branch and potentially Shaq Attaq? "I guess when she won the Trotting Stakes last year and ran her last mile in 2:02. Being by Chiola Hanover, I figured she should improve with age. But it is always in the back of your mind whether they will take that next step up. Even now when you work her at home you wouldn't think she was anything special, but she is such a terrific wee stayer."

That Enthusiast has taken each step would be an understatement and it has been little breaks in between little assignments where she has taken giant leaps. After winning a maiden first up for the season nicely at Motukarara, failing at Addington and winning a C1 at Forbury Park, Enthusiast had three weeks off and six weeks to get ready for a trip to the Coast over Christmas in what was her first real trip away from home. After winning at Westport and Reefton, she had 10 days off before winning at Washdyke and Ashburton and launching her Auckland assault. Five days R&R followed that trip before Saturday's success, where like the Rosso Antico she again made her move to the death in mid-race, applied the pressure from the half and with a shake of the reins at the furlong, said goodbye. Her 3:20.4, last 800m in 60, bettered Sunny Action's filly record by .5 of a second and was her third national record despite being merely in cruise control.

Enthusiast is now having another week off before heading to Australia for the Victoria Oaks on May 20, followed by the Holmfield, Victoria Derby and probably the NSW and SA Derbys. "We will sit down and work things out now, but that is a two month trip and we might look at leaving her with another trainer like Graeme Lang, Robert Cameron or Ted Demmler." However, Nairn notes that Demmler is presently raving about a 3-year-old trotter of his own in Truscott Steel and that would seem the least likely of the options.

So how does Nairn do it - so many good trotters in such a short space of time and at such a good strike rate - one might ask. The right breeding and owners play a large part, but so does an education from a past master in Jack Litten and simple hard work. Nairn does all the early work himself, including the driving until he is satisfied they are "properly organised" for the big time - at which point he hands over the reins to Butt. He drove Enthusiast until three starts ago. Once they are ready, Nairn says driving is one less thing he has to worry about.

Enthusiast, the first foal fron Enthuse, a Gee Whiz II mare who won once from just three starts, is raced by her breeders - Nairn and his father Graeme, Gywnn Thomson and the Red And White Syndicate, each party having quarter share. The latter comprises five members - Auckland's Don Stewart, Christchurch's Michael Chin and Leeston's Paul Johnstone and Colin and Noel Lowery. Enthuse, a half sister to Sundowner Bay and good sorts in Marvin and Rainbow Bay, and whose third dam is the fine trotting mare Dianthus Girl, has since produced a 3-year-old colt by Call Me Now in Call Me Later, a yearling colt by the same sire in Crunch and a filly by Sundon. She is back in foal to Chiola Hanover and will be returning to that veteran sire this year.

Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 27Apr00

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2000 NEWSTALK ZB 3YO FLYING STAKES

The picture regarding this week's NZ Derby is a little fuzzier after the running of the last lead up in the $50,000 Newstalk ZB Flying Stakes. When most thought Stars And Stripes' main opposition would come in the form of either Falcon's Blue Jean or Mike's Pal, another Purdon-trained obstacle has emerged in Hunka Hickling.

And while his background comes from mainly loose class racing, Hunka Hickling and Maurice McKendry showed they will pose plenty of problems in the blue ribbon event after sitting three wide and in the open over the last lap, outside Mike's Pal and Stars And Stripes, before upsetting them in a thrilling finish.

McKendry, driving the Miles McCool gelding for the first time, was as surprsed as anyone by Hunka Hickling getting his nose in front of a game Mike's Pal, who came back from being half a neck in arrears of Stars And Stripes at the furlong only to lose the race in the photo. "He had been going good races, but I didn't know much about him," said McKendry. "But I will be liking him even more if he can keep doing that," he added.

Hunka Hickling, trained by Mark Purdon for his breeders Tony and Mrs Ann Parker, will be out to go one better for that combination's Sharp And Telford's second in the 1996 Derby behind The Court Owl. Sharp And Telford, a half-brother to Hunka Hickling's dam Wishing, by Soky's Atom, went on to win an Auckland Cup before a tendon injury prematurely curtailed his career, while the Parkers also enjoyed good success with Purdon and Stevies before selling him for good money last year.

Purdon and the connections of Mike's Pal and Stars And Stripes know that this week's race will be another story however. Purdon, who has won four recent Derbies with Mark Roy, Il Vicolo, The Court Owl and Bogan Fella, will team up with Falcon's Blue Jean and was far from disconsolate with that gelding's ninth last week. "Nothing was making up much ground from the rear in the sprint home and being his first run for three weeks, he will be much sharper for the race," said Purdon.

Tony Herlihy was also quite happy with Mike's Pal foe trainer Barry Purdon, who has himself trained Derby winners in Kiwi Scooter, Ginger Man and Holmes DG in recent years. "That was the first time he has led up I think and he wasn't too sure what it was all about," said Herlihy. "Stars And Stripes got half a neck up on us before he figured it out and he has come back really well," he added.

"It is a little disappointing, but we are quite happy with the ball in our court." Those were the sentiments of Stars And Stripes trainer John Lischner and they were echoed by driver Ken Barron. "About the only time he has been beaten has been on a slow pace, and it is highly unlikely the Derby will be slow," said Lischner. They have gotten away with a quarter in 35 tonight, but that won't happen gain," he added. Lischner was referring to the fact that Hunka Hickling recorded 2:27.3 for the 1950m trip, the leaders dashing in from the 400m in better than 27 seconds in a time which was over six seconds slower than Happy Asset two races later in the Nobilo Wines.

Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 19Apr00

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The Weekly celebrates Sunny Action's win

2000 AIR NEW ZEALAND TROTTING FREE-FOR-ALL

There is no doubt in Terry Chmiel's mind. He says Lyell Creek's number was up in the Air New Zealand Trotting Free-For-All whether he kept trotting or not. "Halfway up the straight, I thought I would catch him," said Chmiel. "Lyell didn't seem to be trotting all that good when he came out of the trail," he said.

The success of Sunny Action and a shrewd drive by Chmiel was overshadowed by the stunning defeat of Lyell Creek, who was aiming for his 21st successive win. The cries of "Lyell, Lyell" from the public stand became a muted hush when the champion broke stride when looking vulnerable just half a length clear of Sunny Action with 50 metres to go.

In spite of her first-day form when she was beaten by McGrady, Sunny Action was not expected to bother Lyell Creek and some of the other fancies. But no-one reckoned on the favourite having an off-day and the growing confidence and judgement of young Chmiel. "We were lucky to get the run we did in the finish. I couldn't believe how lucky we were, dropping back, and then finished three-deep and behind Lyell Creek. She is a sit and sprinter, so this was ideal for her, and I mean we were sitting on the back of Lyell Creek. I knew we were following the right horse and that 'Ants'(driver Anthony Butt) would find a run for us.' There has been speculation since that second may have been as good as Sunny Action could have expected had Lyell Creek stayed down, but Chmiel doesn't see it that way. "When I saw 'Ants' tap him on the back, I felt pretty certain she would get there."

This was Chmiel's first Group race win. He has only driven in two of such status before, both behind Penny Lane in the Standardbred Breeders' Stakes. He has battled away in junior ranks without big-name stables to call on, and is thankful of the loyalty shown by Kevin Fairbairn and Steve Hammar in particular. He was lucky picking up the drive on Sunny Action. He recalls being at the trials when Jim Dalgety asked him to drive a couple. That may have been the end of it had regular stable driver Jimmy Curtin not made prior commitments at the Forbury Park meeting last month. Chmiel was called up to drive Sunny Action and Hi Connie, and the drives have remained.


Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 22Nov00

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2000 NRM SIRES' STAKES 3YO FINAL

John Hay had a bit to talk about at Addington on Tuesday. Prior to the NRM Sires' Stakes Final he had a quick chat to Franco Heir's owner Bob Proberts; just past the finish line he turned to acknowledge Tony Herlihy and Young Rufus alongside him, and returning to the birdcage he looked skywards and said a few silent words.

So just what did he have to say? "Bob came down to the stall before the race, asking me how Franco Heir would go. I said that he felt as good as Franco Enforce did the day he won the Sires' Stakes Final, and that Franco Heir was a better stayer," Hay reiterated. "I told Tony how much of a thrill it was to win the race - but only after we had crossed the line ahead of him. And then to Wayne I said 'that's for you'." On the track, Franco Heir had done all the talking for him.

Settling second last from his wide draw, the Holmes Hanover gelding was asked to move as the field wheeled around the Showgrounds bend, and he zoomed up to join pacemaker City Rogue who had done a power of work to get there. "I was waiting for Tony to go on Young Rufus; I thought he was the one to beat," Hay said. "He ended up following us around, then I think he got a bit held up when Niobium shifted into the three-wide line. I wanted to get up to the death seat with 800 metres to go, that was the plan; they had gone really hard early too, which played into my blokes hands. I honestly wasn't happy with him up until about six days ago. After arriving from Australiahe had got a cold and had a nasal discharge, but since that trial at Rangiora last week he has improved out of sight. His coat had picked up, everything had picked up; he worked unreal at the weekend. But it was hard to know how much work to put into him after he came back from Australia and he's still a big dummy so he should improve yet."

For Franco Heir's Australian owner, simply having a horse like him is a dream come true. Proberts first learnt about the 3-year-old from a newspaper article after his first-up win at Ashburton. He asked his trainer Noel Alexander to make inquiries, who in turn rang the horses connections in New Zealand, but the original message they got back was that Franco Heir was not for sale. "I remember thinking...'a kiwi horse that is not for sale? It must be a good one'," Proberts said. "I was hell bent on getting him after that. I have been to yearling sales in Sydney, Victoria and New Zealand and bought 12 horses in the past year; I wanted a good one, but suddenly I didn't want to wait. We started at a lot lower price than what he eventually sold for, but I can acknowledge now that he was a cheap horse," Proberts said.

Franco Heir is raced by the Dalcom Corporation Ltd, a finance and investment company that Proberts is the Managing Director. The 54-year-old and his "better half" Di own a 130 acre horse farm in a town called Coldstream in the Yarra Valley, and just up the road is another 100 acre property that is in the process of becoming their first vineyard.


Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 16Nov00

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2000 RYDGES CHRISTCHURCH HANDICAP TROT

Three weeks ago, Warren Stapleton gave himself no chance of having a horse in next week's Dominion. Cedar Fella had just broken down again, and this time he was definitely being retired for good, and McGrady, the latest open class trotter recruited as a crock to the Mid-Canterbury stable, was not looking much of a prospect either.

That all changed in a very short space of time this week when McGrady, "half trained" to finish second to One Kenny at Forbury Park in his first outing for Stapleton last month, had an outing at the Methven trials last Saturday and finished a hard held fourth off 40m. "The winner went a track record 3:31 for the 2600m and we were just jogging," said Stapleton.

While that may have appeared a mere form of encouragement for most, it was enough for Stapleton to be one of a handful of significant supporters of McGrady on the tote when the injury-plagued 9-year-old gelding - the veteran of just 49 starts now - took out the feature trot on Cup Day with plenty of authority at odds of 60 to one.

With Ricky May commited to Pure Adrenalin, Mark Jones was at the helm when McGrady began best from wide out, handed up to One Kenny with a lap to go, and spurted clear up the passing lane. Sunny Action, the outsider bar one, tracked McGrady throughout and got within three-quarters of a length, while odds-on Sundon's Way was in a gap of almost three lengths, like stablemate Buster Hanover finding a handicap in a fast-run race too much to overcome.

"He looked and felt super in his prelim and it wasn't really a surprise to me at all when he won," said Jones. "They got up to his wheel in the straight and then he put his head down and took off," he added. McGrady is "chronically unsound" and has been with Stapleton for about six months - "he even broke down again on me in another place. I have had him almost ready three times - he wasn't right for Forbury Park - but I had to give him a run somewhere," said Stapleton. "He will go straight into the Dominion now, but I am not about to go beating my drum for that or make any promises he won't break down again. But he has finished second in a Rowe, beaten a neck by Merinai, and fourth in the Dominion to Cedar Fella beaten less than a length. He has been an absolute heartbreak horse but he is very brave," he added.

McGrady, a son of Merinai's sire Tuff Choice who has now won nine races and $113,000, is raced by Auckland's Ken and Mrs Diana Hosgood and the estate of breeder Joan File. He is one of just two foals from Highland Lass, a daughter of Lordship, the maternal sire also of Yulestar. McGrady belongs to a family noted for many fine pacers, but his third dam Bonny Venture was a U Scott half-sister to 1948 Dominion winner Great Venture.

He was previously trained by Bruce File, for whom he last won at Cambridge in July, 1999. "I am really pleased for the owners - everytime Ken would ring I would have somthing wrong to tell him. I have no doubt they will be down here next week now."

Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 16Nov00

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2000 GIANNIS PITA BREAD CANTERBURY PARK TROTTING CUP

Lyell Creek added another '1' to his formline with a powerful burst in the straight to beat the stablemates Buster Hanover and Sundon's Way in the Giannis Pita Bread Canterbury Park Trotting Cup.

The trotting champion made a lightning beginning from 35m, was given a trailing run just off the pace by Anthony Butt, and then showed his strength to race clear. Buster Hanover, a breaker, ran second, passing his stablemate Sundon's Way, with pacemaker One Kenny tiring to fourth.

The picture shows driver and part-owner Anthony Butt, part-owner Graham Bruton and tainer Tim Butt. Their youthful supporters are 8-year-old James Butt, son of David and Catherine Butt, and Christopher Butt, son of Anthony and Karen.

Lyell Creek's next start is in the $25,000 Ashburton Trust Trotter's Flying Mile on Labour Day where he is expected to open out and run a time of near 1:55.

Credit: Harness Racing Weekly

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2000 NOBILO WINES LTD

An advertisement in the 'Weekly' has given Russell Beardsley, Colin Hay and Bill Eggleton seats they never thought they would have. In the area that says 'Owners Only' that is where they will be. It will be Cup Day at Addington, the race will be the Canterbury Draught NZ Cup, and the three old rugby mates from the Pioneer club in Gore will be there as a result of that $30 spend.

Some time before that they had met Ashburton trainer Laurence Hanrahan, and they had asked Hanrahan to find them a horse. The three of them had been in and out of horses since forming a syndicate with other Pioneer boys in 1976, and by the time they got to Hanrahan, seven had dropped out. Two of them had been in banks and Hay was in the construction business. Beardsley was in Ashburton after achieving his aim of retiring when he was 50.

In any event, Hanrahan found them a gelding by Oblivion II which obviously had some extra appeal as he was by the same sire as Hanrahan's flagship horse, New Age Man, who was unbeaten in 13 starts, and said they should "give it a go." This was little more than two years ago, and when The Tough Nut ran 2400m in 3:01 and a half in 56 before he qualified they knew they were on to something. Other than a slight hitch in his form a year ago, The Tough Nut has handled every class with comfort. Last November, The Tough Nut started a winning sequence of eight, and the partners recall Hanrahan telling them: "I have changed his feed, his work and his gear; something has worked but I'm not sure what and I'm not changing."

He has now raced just 30 times and won 14, the latest at Addington last Friday night when he accounted for Ouch and six Cup nominees in the 1950m Nobilo Wines. He trailed Happy Asset, who left the gate at speed and led as he has done before over this trip, and Kym's Girl was behind and Ouch was further back with Annie's Boy. The Tough Nut was the first danger to Happy Asset and gradually got the better of him. Wider out, Ouch - who has since been treated for a corn problem - got cracking late and finished strongly to grab second a nose back. Kym's Girl was third, looking unlucky, but again putting herself in the frame for a prize of some note over Cup Week. The time is running out for Ouch who has three more chances to qualify for the Cup, but it appears up to the challenge. OK Oskar, who was sent to the outside of the gate, Tartan Lady and Seafield Raider have some form to find.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 18Oct00

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2000 ANTHONY SHEARER LTD/ PINK BATTS ORDEAL TROTTING CUP

WOW! That is one way to describe Lyell Creek's Ordeal Trotting Cup win. Here is another...four and three wide early before changing down a gear to take the lead after 600 metres, sped along, coasted clear.

What Lyell Creek did when resuming on friday night left everyone shaking their heads in disbelief. On a cold night he went head-first into a stiff easterly three times, yet he still managed to trot his 2600m mobile event in 3:16.5 - and threw in a final 800 metre split of 27.5 for good measure. But wait, there is more...he absolutely jogged it!

All this just goes to show that Lyell Creek has returned as good as, if not better than, last season, and it is no wonder trainer Tim Butt found it hard to hold back a smile after the event. "You always know what he is capable of," Butt said, realising the enormity of Lyell Creek's performance at this early stage of the season. "He is the sort of horse that no matter what he does, it doesn't surprise you. And he has trotted so much sweeter tonight, that was the most pleasing part for me. We put new shoes on him in front, just a bit of fine-tuning, and they are a little bit lighter and a bit squarer in the toe. In the past he has always trotted best when his shoes were almost worn out," he said.

Despite drawing wide last Friday, Butt and his brother Anthony had a pre-race plan to press forward. "With Europe and America in mind, we are conscious of him not losing any ground at the start of a mobile race. At this stage we don't want him to become a gate hummer either though, he will end up chasing it all the time otherwise. Just seeing the way he came through his event tonight stands him in good stead for Sweden too, because he will have to race twice in a day over there. He looks like he could go out there and do it again."

Last year, Lyell Creek's connections tackled some minor races along the way but their main focus was on the bigger picture... firstly the Dominion Handicap; mainly the Inter-Dominion Final, and lastly the Rowe Cup. Some of his races were lead-up events to the main goals, so even though he won them, in a way we would not have been worried if he didn't," Butt said. "Like that Cup Day run when he beat One Kenny...that brought him on another ten to twenty percent for the Dominion Handicap and the next time we worked him he was just a different horse.

"And then there was the Dullard Cup. That was still a month away from the Inter-Dominion Final so he was not much more than about eighty percent fit. That night he was four and three-wide before sitting parked, he dished it up to Special Force, skipped clear on the turn and held on, breaking the track record by two seconds. Some people said that he fell in to win, but in the context of what stage his preparation was at it was a huge run," Butt said.

This season things are only slightly different; 'Team Lyell Creek' are still concentrating on the bigger picture, but they are pretty keen on keeping the trotter's winning streak in tact too. After last Friday, this now stands at 17.

During the week leading up to Lyell Creek's resumption, Anthony Butt purchased a quarter share in the gelding off owner Graham Bruton. "We had talked about this fo 12 months," Bruton said. "I offered Ants a share in Lyell Creek because I thought if he was going to be spending all that time with the horse overseas he may as well be bringing in a bit more than his five percent as a driver."


Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 20Sep00