Sharrock to utilise Jim Chung at Awapuni

[Wandering Eyes]

Butler will contest the Cartown 1100 at Awapuni on Saturday. Photo: Trish Dunell

Allan Sharrock will take full advantage of apprentice jockey Jim Chung’s four-kilogram claim at Awapuni on Saturday.

The New Plymouth trainer will head to the Palmerston North meeting with Group performers Butler and Librarsi, where the pair have been lumbered with big weights.

Butler was set to carry 62kg in the Cartown 1100 and Sharrock believes he will be a big chance with his lighter impost.

“I have had to claim four-kilos off Butler because he goes around with 62kg every time. I think Jim Chung is the best of the CD fours, so I have elected to put him on,” Sharrock said.

Butler has shown plenty of promise, winning six and placing in five of his 14 starts to date, including a runner-up effort in the Group 2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) last year.

The son of Showcasing resumed with a runner-up effort over 1100m at Pukekohe last month and Sharrock is keen to tackle some feature targets over winter with the five-year-old.

“Butler will head towards the Opunake Cup (Listed, 1400m) and maybe the Foxbridge like last year where he ran second to Imperatriz,” he said.

Sharrock will also utilise Chung’s claim with Librarsi, who was set to carry 59.5kg in the Crowley Forge Master Farriers Limited 1200.

The daughter of Reliable Man had a pleasing spring and early summer campaign, highlighted by her runner-up effort in the Group 3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa last December.

She posted the same result when first-up over 1100m at the Hamilton track last month and Sharrock expects his filly to go one better on Saturday.

“Librarsi went massive first-up and she has improved since her first-up run,” Sharrock said.

“She has a bad draw (11), but with his (Chung) claim it brings her into a competitive weight in that race.”

Meanwhile, stable runner Mr Didgeridoo added to Sharrock’s season tally when winning on debut at New Plymouth on Thursday.

Mr Didgeridoo is a half-brother to Sharrock’s Group One performer Justaskme, and the son of Derryn is raced by the Taranaki conditioner alongside his brother Bruce and good friend Tony Kemp.

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