Racing: Butt stable firing

The opening night of the Auckland Cup Carnival at Alexandra Park gave a taste of what to expect over the next six months from the Christchurch stable of Tim Butt.

Butt has set-up a satellite stable on the Takanini property formerly owned by well-known trainer Jim Smith.

The first four-legged salvo was fired at local trainers at Alexandra Park on Friday night when Foreal and Tribute won both feature events.

Foreal recorded a ruthless front running victory in the Group Two $54,000 Peter Breckon Memorial Ladyship Stakes, effortlessly defeating Robyn Blue, Life Of Luxury and Kamwood Cully.

Tribute took full advantage of an on the pace sit to take out the $20,000 Great Northern Stakes when out sprinting Marika and Presido.

Butt has the use of 10 boxes and paddocks on the property as well as a training track.

"Jim [Smith] sold the property and Leanne Edwards has leased the property off the new owner for a two year period," said Butt.

"Leanne [Edwards] has let us come in and set up and we'll be basing a number of horses from this stable over the next six months.

"It was pleasing to come out on the opening night of the Auckland Cup Carnival and win two of the feature age group races.

"Foreal has taken a while to settle into the stable out at Takanini as she didn't eat properly for about three to four days and her coat looked terrible.

"She won her first start up here at Auckland nicely enough but I knew there would be a lot of improvement in her heading into the Ladyship Stakes.

"She races next Friday over 1700 metres in the Fillies Championship then we step up to 2700 metres and race in the Great Northern Oaks.

"She's coming into form at the right time of the year, which is important because there are three feature events for the three-year-old fillies held during the Auckland Cup Carnival."

Butt felt it was important to have a permanent training facility in Auckland during a busy six-month period of harness racing.

Harness racing carnivals in Sydney and Melbourne meant that Auckland was the starting point of each Australian campaign.

"All horses that fly to Australia leave from Auckland so it made sense for me to have the use of a training property in Auckland.

"With our own property we can plan any Australian campaign around the fact that our horses can stay in Auckland for as long as they want. It's easier on the horses when they can be based in Auckland.

"We'll have upwards of 10 horses based in Auckland and with the Auckland Cup Carnival, Inter Dominion and Rowe Cup Carnival also held in Auckland you can expect to see a lot of our horses racing at Alexandra Park."

That can only assist the on- and off-course betting figures for the Auckland Trotting Club when one of the South Island's leading stables has made a big commitment to racing horses at Alexandra Park.