The Anthony Butt juggernaut continues to rise.
Butt and fiancé Sonya Smith further underlined the remarkable success of their move to Victoria last October with feature wins in two different states yesterday (Sunday).
Stable star Wolf Stride snared his third Group 1 win – and this second this campaign – when he did all the work and dug deep for a mighty win in the inaugural $100,000 Riverina 4&5YO Championship at Wagga.
A little earlier, former Victoria and NSW placegetter Perfect Stride scored his most important open-class win when he upstaged a good field to land the Group 3 Warragul Pacing Cup for Butt/Smith’s number two stable driver, Zac Phillips.
It was his 17th win from just 32 starts, took him past $500,000 in earnings and don’t forget he’s already run third in a Miracle Mile and fourth in a Hunter Cup in his first campaign in the big league.
“I know I said nine months or so back he would make a Grand Circuit horse, but it’s even surprised me how far he’s come so quickly,” Butt said.
“He’s thrived on the racing and become so versatile. He’s won good races sit-sprinting, but can do work when he has to, which was the case this time (Wagga).
“He’s out for a spell now, a decent one. He won’t be back until he starts to prepare for the Victoria Cup (in October).”
Wolf Stride moved around to sit parked in the middle stages and dug deep to win by a half-head in a slick 1min52.5sec mile rate for 2270m.
It was a thrilling finish with Wolf Stride just holding-off a mighty brave Out To Play, who sustained a long three-wide run from the rear in a slick last half and comeback pacer Max Delight a close third.
While Wolf Stride was the star attraction at Wagga, he was outdone for the biggest winning reception by top young driver Cameron Hart aboard Techys Angel in the other feature, the $100,000 Group 1 final for 4&5YO Mares’.
Hart was born and raised just down the road from Wagga at Junee and his daring front-running win on Techys Angel was his first at Group 1 level.
It was a huge result for top Victorian training duo Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin who snared the quinella with Maajida doing all the work and still running a top second.
Underlining Techys Angel’s improvement and stunning win, she clocked 0.3sec faster than Wolf Stride with a 1min52.2sec mile rate for the 2270m.