Country Cups take centre stage at Cambridge

[Wandering Eyes]

By Brigette Solomon 

Local trainer-driver David Butcher lines up three runners in the Thames Country Trotting and Pacing Cups at Cambridge tonight, though he won’t be there himself. 

“They’re all going well, and I think they’re all capable of finishing in the placings tonight but I’m driving at Addington tonight,” says Butcher, who is engaged to drive the Arna Donnelly-trained Mako in the inaugural running of the Hill Lee and Scott THE VELOCITY three-year-old Pace.

In the Thames Pacers Country Cup (7.27pm) Butcher starts Louezyana and Hooray Henry, to be driven by Monika Ranger and Peter Ferguson. The pair both start off a 10 metre handicap with it being Louezyana’s first standing start and first race at Cambridge.

The Sweet Lou gelding is a winner of five races with a further five placings from just 20 starts, all of those at Alexandra Park. Although a winner two starts ago over a mile, he has more recently found himself racing in good company and finishing midfield in races won by the likes of Always B Elite, Seaclusion and Jeremiah.

“Louezyana stepped ok at trials and I think he’ll get away ok but it’s always a question mark at their first standing start as it’s a bit different on race day compared to the trials,” says Butcher, “I think I’d put Hooray Henry over Louezyana tonight, he’s had the experience from a stand and he’s been racing really well lately.”

A consistent campaigner, Hooray Henry hasn’t run worse than fifth placing since July and has won at this course and distance on four occasions. His most recent races at Alexandra Park have been over the mile and have seen him finish just behind the place getters from wide starting draws.

“There are a couple of decent horses in the races but being over 2200 metres should make it a bit harder for those back markers,” says Butcher.

The stand out horses of the field are Jolimont, who ran an Auckland track record when winning his last start, and the Group 1-winning mare Lady Of The Light. Both start the race off the 30 metre mark.

Butcher starts talented three-year-old Pantani in the Thames Trotters Country Cup (8.00pm), with Todd Mitchell engaged to drive. The gelding starts from the unruly position off a 10 metre handicap. He’s currently a $4.20 favourite.

“This is a better race for him tonight, he’s been racing some tough, seasoned horses in his last couple of starts,” says Butcher, “I think he’s definitely in with a chance tonight and I expect he’ll be in the top three.”

Throughout the winter Pantani showed brilliance, winning three in a row before an electric third placing in a Northern Metro Series Final race where he ran a 56.8 second last half with Butcher weaving between runners to the line. However, he has made mistakes in his last two starts, breaking stride briefly on both occasions. Butcher isn’t overly concerned and knows time and experience will benefit the gelding.

“He’s quite a big horse and he came through the grades quite quickly so hasn’t had a heap of race experience,” says Butcher, “he actually got quite a fright in his last race when the horse inside him ran out on him in the straight which resulted in him galloping.”

“He’s definitely going to be a better horse in a year’s time.”

Racing action gets underway tonight with Race one at 5.16pm.

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