KEY POINTS:
Exotic Lover is helping champion trainer Tim Butt conquer the toughest field of them all.
The tiny filly with the big motor will be looking for her second major win in a week in the Sires' Stakes Fillies Championship at Alexandra Park tomorrow night after divebombing some of the country's best juvenile fillies in the Sales Series Pace last Friday.
Butt is regarded as one of New Zealand's best trainers of either code, having trained our two richest ever trotters, Lyell Creek and Take A Moment, as well as open class stars like Happy Asset (Auckland Cup), Mister D G (Hunter Cup), Foreal, Pocket Me and Tribute.
And he has never been more potent than this season, during which he and training partner Phil Anderson have transformed veteran battler Flashing Red into the New Zealand-Auckland Cup hero.
Yet for all his success as a trainer last Friday's victory was Butt's first in a lucrative Sales Series Final. The reason is simple - he hasn't had a lot of luck at the yearling sales.
With the backing of his biggest clients Butt has dabbled in the top end of the market at the yearling sales in the last decade with little joy and plenty of expensive flops.
While he is not alone in that regard the always pragmatic horseman says it is an area of his operation he needs to improve.
"Buying yearling is hard work, which takes a lot of skill and a lot of luck," said Butt. "Some trainers, like Geoff Small for example, have a real knack for it but it is something I'd like to improve."
One of Butt's biggest problems at the yearling sales was often his top-end clients wanted the glamour yearlings, most of which are over-priced under-performers.
"When I've actually stuck to buying the cheaper yearlings I've liked myself I have done all right but at the top end of the sales there isn't much room for error.
"So it is nice to get a filly like her, who we paid good money for, and see her do the job - it is very satisfying."
Exotic Lover cost $67,000 at last year's sales and Butt coughed up the money himself, attracted to her because she reminded him of her champion dam Under Cover Lover.
"We had horses stabled at the same properties as Under Cover Lover a few times over the years so I had a bit to do with her and she was a great filly, one of the best we have ever seen.
"This filly is smaller but similar and being by Artsplace I thought she would be worth what we paid for her as a broodmare."
Exotic Lover is worth a lot more than that now, showing blistering speed to come from off the pace to down glamour fillies Susie Maguire and Lizzie Maguire last Friday.
While her second line draw will make a repeat difficult tomorrow night she looks a work in progress who will develop into a staying filly next season and beyond.
"I really like her. She has speed, stamina and a great constitution."
Not to mention Butt's name in the race book as a part-owner.
Which means he couldn't have picked a better time to start getting lucky on sales day.
