Racing: Butcher delivers knockout blow

Zac Butcher drives Jack's Legend to victory in the last race at Ashburton on Saturday, the Three-Year-Old Emerald. Photo / Race Images

By the time Zac Butcher jumped in the sulky behind Jack's Legend on Saturday he had had enough.

All day the gifted young reinsman had struggled to make ground on good horses racing off the speed as Jewels day at Ashburton was dominated by those on the pace and on the markers.

Butcher decided if Jack's Legend was going to get beaten he was at least going to get into the fight and a few minutes later he delivered punters a 45-1 knockout blow.

"It was just too hard coming from off the speed, you could see that all day," Butcher said.

"So I decided to get him off the gate as quick as I could and at least give him his chance.

"I wasn't sure we could cross them at the start but I knew we had to try," Butcher said.

Zac and Jack exploded to the front, then trailed Ultimate Machete and Butcher was inch-perfect in the home straight, waiting till deep into the passing lane before beating the favourite for speed.

"It's a long straight and I've been caught out going into the passing lane too quickly before here so I waited and it all turned out perfect."

Jack's Legend has had a busy season for trainer Barry Purdon, who says he will now bypass any Australian riches. "He can have a break now and I am confident he will develop into an open class horse," said Purdon.

The win continued an incredible strike rate for Purdon in the last five years with horses he has purchased at the yearling sales after putting together several syndicates to reinvigorate his stable with some serious financial firepower.

Ultimate Machete will now have a break but third placegetter More The Better is on a plane to Queensland this week for an extended campaign before heading to Victoria for the Breeders Crown.