By Michael Guerin
It is rare second favourites winning feels like an upset but the Butcher boys managed to make it happen twice at Alexandra Park on Thursday night.
David Butcher and his son Zachary are no strangers to winning the best races of the night in the sulky but they both did it as trainers on Thursday with Hooray Henry and Mantra Blue.
Hooray Henry’s win was a career highlight as he sprinted past two-time New Zealand Cup winner Copy That in the latter’s return to racing.
David Butcher did enough to hold the lead from the ace in the mobile mile and then handed straight to Copy That, which would have had punters taking the $1.08 about the favourite feeling pretty good.
But while Copy That sprinted home in 54.6 and 27.1 seconds, Hooray Henry came off his back via the passing lane to grab him on the line.
Copy That’s trainer Ray Green had warned punters before the race that his $2million earner was likely to be short of his best but that shouldn’t detract from the winner’s performance as few horses beat Copy That when he leads.
It was Hooray Henry’s sixth win, two of them coming since he resumed in winter after an 18-month break ,and with his improvement curve still on the up he will be a worthy addition to the north’s open class ranks over the next 12 months.
Mantra Blue’s win in her Nevele R heat for Zachary Butcher was nowhere as big an upset as she was a shortish second favourite but she still downed a far better performed filly and hot favourite in Kahlua Flybye.
Considering Kahlua Flybye is one of the better fillies in the country behind Millwood Nike and that Mantra Blue was having only her second start she has arrived in the big time in a hurry.
Only recently purchased out of the Wayne Fausett barn, Mantra Blue has now earned her spot in the Nevele R Final and she is adding renewed depth to a crop who struggled to test Millwood Nike earlier this year.
Other highlights at the Alex Park meeting were All Cashed Up overcoming a 45m handicap to win the feature trot, Team Blanchard having a training treble and a rare Alexandra Park trotting winner for Palmerston North trainer Stephen Doody with Sweet Olivia.
But one of the real stars was a debutante win by Paramount Kiwi in the What The Hill North Island Juvenile Trot.
He wore down favourite and leader The Moonstone in a 58.4 second last 800m for trainer-driver Matty White and is clearly a trotter with a future.
