By Matt Markham
Motu Premier made sure what could potentially have been his last ever New Zealand race start was a memorable one on Sunday at Methven when he claimed the Canterbury Country Cups Final.
The Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen trained pacer is set to board a plane for Australia this week and while initially he will remain in the All Stars care, it is possible he may be left over there to make better use of the opportunities available to him.
Not even an imposing 40 metre handicap could hold the Merv and Meg Butterworth owned four-year-old in the $25,000 feature as he wore down Johnny Eyre in the shadows of the post to claim victory.
He has now won the Hororata and Cheviot Cups this season as well as Sunday’s final and his rise in the ratings is making it more and more difficult to place him.
“With the points he will get for that win, he’d have to line up against Lazarus next,” stable rep Michelle Neilson said.
“And while he’s a great wee horse, he’s probably just a level below the best four-year-olds but he should do a good job in Australia.”
The Butterworth’s were in the country on Sunday, but had headed to Invercargill to watch their two-year-old Make Mine Diamonds run second to stablemate, Sicario, on debut.
Tim Williams handled the driving duties on Motu Premier on Sunday and the four-year-old was one half of a driving double for the youngster.
He teamed up with Peter Robertson in the very next race after Motu Premier to drive Bacardi N Coke and the son of Bacardi Lindy left everyone in his wake with a bold front running display that belied his $46.40 win price.
Oamaru trainer Eion Latimer had good return for a small, initial outlay earlier in the day when he produced Playboy Prince to win in the hands of Matty Williamson.
The well-bred pacer was picked up by Latimer for $5,000 in a claiming race at the end of February.
“I can’t believe I was able to get him so cheap,” Latimer said after the race.
“He’s beautifully bred and had done a great job before he went into the claimers race, I thought there would have been a lot of interest in him.”
By Christian Cullen out of Little Miss Me, Playboy Prince is a three-quarter brother to former outstanding pacer, Pic Me Pockets.
Williamson managed to secure an economical run on the fence before finding gaps which the five-year-old gelding burst through to win impressively.
The win took Latimer to four wins for the season, just three shy of his personal best tally of seven which he achieved last season.
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