by Jonny Turner
Bob Butt has been around harness racing too long to get too confident about his first starter at Timaru today in Fight For Freedom.
The full brother to Heavyweight Hero will make his debut for the Butt stable in race 2 at Phar Lap Raceway.
If early betting on the race is anything to go by, the three-year-old is a huge winning threat.
Punters snapped up the horse’s $2.30 early quote and he was quickly moved into $1.55 odds.
Though Butt has a decent opinion of the trotter, he doesn’t head to Timaru brimming with confidence.
“It is like any maiden trotter, he has got to go down there and do things right,” the trainer said.
“He is going to make a nice horse in time, but he has only had a handful of trials in small fields.”
“If he does things right he should go a handy race but with maiden trotters you never know what to expect.”
Today’s race and Fight For Freedom’s subsequent starts will decide whether Butt aims him at age-group racing.
“If he comes out and goes really well, we will look at the three-year-old races up north.”
“We will just test the waters in his next few starts.”
‘If not, we will give him some more experience in the lower grades down here.”
Blair Orange takes the reins behind Fight For Freedom in his debut.
The reinsman drives several winning hopes across the Timaru card including the Amber Hoffman trained Heez Good in race 10.
The pacer produced consistent form before being freshened following his last start in late February.
Heez Good has a tricky draw in barrier 1 on the second row but with Orange in the sulky, chances are he will find clear air.
“He is a nice wee horse, he may need this run but the draw should suit him because he won’t have to do much work,” Hoffman said.
“He is an honest wee fella and he still has a couple more wins in him yet, hopefully he can go a good race.”
Heez Good was rated at $7 and $2.40 fixed odds prices on market opening.
