New Plymouth trainer Allan Sharrock has engaged Butler at Te Rapa this weekend as he looks for a silver-service addition to his Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) line-up for next season.
A winner of four of his nine starts, Showcasing four-year-old Butler resumes in the Group One Turf Bar Sprint (1200m)
at Te Rapa on Saturday and with a performance that meets Sharrock's expectations, he's likely to return for the Gr.2 Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at the track on August 27.
Sharrock already has Darci La Bella and Tavi Mac earmarked for the Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings on September 10 but believes Butler is a galloper worthy of a place in the weight-for-age feature.
"He's a pretty smart animal. He won his trial nicely at Foxton the other day and I expect him to be pretty competitive on Saturday," said Sharrock, who has engaged Cambridge apprentice Tayla Mitchell to ride.
"He will improve with this run because he's a big, gross animal but I've tried to make it as easy as I can by taking four kilos off his back first time in open company.
"We think he's a bit better than just a winter horse. We ran him through the winter last year and found bone chips in his knees. Since we've had the bone chips removed, he's a lot sounder and a happier horse."
Butler will carry just 51.5kg on Saturday after Mitchell's claim, though Sharrock is leaving the blinkers as an ace in his gear bag for later in the preparation.
"Tayla rides pretty well. I've been watching her for a while. He does grow another leg with blinkers on but I'll leave those off him till we get to a race when we need them," Sharrock said.
"It's a tidy enough field on Saturday but if he's going to reach the levels I want him to, then he's going to have to put his hand up. He does have good speed but he doesn't have to lead.
"He's potent from anywhere in the field so if Tayla can settle him in the first four or five in running and ease him out in the straight, you should see a nice horse getting home."
TAB bookmakers have shortened Butler from a $3 opening price into $1.90 favouritism for the Te Rapa open sprint, though still have him at $31 in their Tarzino Trophy market, which sees Darci La Bella at $12 and Tavi Mac at $16.
"Tavi Mac has come back super. I've medicated his back for the first time like I did with Sinarahma and his joints have all been injected. He's probably as good as I've had him," Sharrock said.
"Darci La Bella won nicely again the other day and she'll probably run next in the Opunake Cup (1400m, Listed at New Plymouth on July 23). You'd suggest at the weights she could beat Justaskme with 60 kilos but he's not a bad horse, Justaskme, when the going gets tough."
Butler will be Sharrock's only runner on Saturday but he will saddle Stevie Nix and Cherry Rose at Hawera on Sunday.
"They'll both start close to favourite," he said. "Cherry Rose's last start run at New Plymouth was super and she's trained on like she'll be hard to beat and though Stevie Nix was slightly disappointing last time, it was trying ground at Otaki first-up and she will have hardened off with that run and Lisa Allpress stays with her."
- NZ Racing Desk
