By Matt Markham
There’s a long term goal so at the moment anything else is a bonus with The Bachelor.
And with Tim Butt at the helm you just know the promising pacer is going to get every chance to put his best hoof forward when the opportunity presents itself.
Off the back of an eye-catching fourth last time out behind You Gotta Have Faith the three-year-old returns to Addington tonight to contest another heat of the Sires’ Stakes Series with Butt hopeful of maybe doing enough to sneak his way into the final.
“He’s going to be a better horse in time, he’s really got the makings of a Derby horse I think,” Butt said.
“What he’s doing now, he’s doing on raw potential. He went from having not been off the place a while back to running fourth in a Sires’ Stakes heat and I know he can only get better.
“I think we might be a little bit short this week, he will definitely improve with the run but it doesn’t put him out of it.
“Hopefully we can settle a little closer to the speed and get our chance.”
It’s a very good Sires’ Stakes field with More The Better, King Solomon and On The Rantan leading the contenders list.
Butt takes four horses to Addington tonight with four chances.
Maiden pacer Rocknroll Magic has let the punters down so far but there is some promise there.
“He’s probably been a little over-hyped so far, there is ability there but he might take some time to come to it.”
New stable recruit Joey Maguire has impressed his new boss in a short time at West Melton since leaving the Robert Dunn stable.
“He’s a great wee horse, I found this race for him a while ago because I thought he got into quite well so we will just see what happens.
“He’s going to be a nice horse to have running around over the summer circuit I think, that’s his real go.”
Butt’s final chance of the night is Beg Hall – a talented , but sometimes erratic, trotter, who will take on a very good junior drivers’ field with Kim Butt in the bike.
“I’ve always had a bit of time for him but you just never know with him.
“If he does everything right I think he will be right there, but fresh up and in a junior drivers race anything could happen.”
Once tonight is out of the way, the focus will shift to Ashburton for Butt with Field Marshal stepping out of his comfort zone to tackle the Ashburton Flying Stakes.
The race jumped onto the radar when it became apparent there would be low numbers and Butt is also keen to get a good mark on where the five-year-old is at in his preparation for the New Zealand Free-For-All.
“There’s only one way to find out and that’s to take them on.
“I’m really happy with everything he’s done, but it’s just a case of getting some racing into him now.”
Blair Orange will handle the driving duties with Dexter Dunn sticking with Christen Me.
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