By Adam Hamilton
Anthony Butt admitted to being “pleasantly surprised” with his latest Breeders Crown win aboard Kyvalley Kyrie.
Butt teamed with another former Kiwi horseman, Brent Lilley, to score the upset of Breeders Crown Super Sunday when Kyvalley Kyrie led throughout as a $43.40 shot.
It was just the filly’s second win from 11 starts in a busy first season of racing.
“That’s one we didn’t expect, but she picked the right day to do it all right and she really had to earn the win, too,” Butt said.
“Once I found the front the challengers came at me, but I really wanted to hold the lead because I knew she’d keep whacking away. Even if she didn’t win, I thought she could run a big race in front.”
Kyvalley Kyrie copped plenty of early pressure from the hot favourite Our Regal Love, but just kept finding in a race run upside down.
The mile rate was a solid 2min1.7sec for the 2240m, but they ground home the closing quarter in 31.1sec.
“They all had their chance to run her down,” Butt said.
Butt heaped praise on Lilley’s training performance.
“Lil has to get the credit. Although we’ve always like this filly, she was plain last start and he was able to turn her around when it mattered,” he said.
Our Regal Love, who grabbed the one-one trail after an unsuccessful challenge for the lead, rallied again in the home straight, but couldn’t rundown the leader. She finished second.
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