By Jonny Turner
In the absence of their stable star, Bob Butt’s team continues to rack up wins.
Butt doubled up at Addington on Sunday, producing La Reina Del Sur and Khal Drogo for training and driving victories.
The wins have come in the wake of the retirement of Butt’s Group One winning trotter Heavyweight Hero.
Together with the horse’s owners, the decision has been made to finish the 2020 New Zealand Trotting Free-For-All winner’s career on a positive note.
“The best thing about it is that he is retiring sound, because he had a few problems along the way,” Butt said.
“He was a bloody good horse and did a super job.”
“Winning the Group One with him is the biggest thrill I have had in the game.”
Heavyweight Hero has joined the HERO rehoming programme to prepare him for his life after racing.
The trotter retires a 10-race winner with $226,911 in stake earnings.
Heavyweight Hero also bows out as the holder of the New Zealand 1980m open trotting record and with the national 2700m standing start record for three-year-old trotters to his name.
La Reina Del Sur broke a winless stretch of more than two years and five months when taking out race 5 for Butt on Sunday.
“She has been a bit of a work in progress, she has been racing well but she has probably been working better than she has been showing.”
“We have changed a few things with her and it was good to see her get the job done.”
“She did it nice, so hopefully this gets her confidence up.”
Khal Drogo made it back-to-back wins for the Butt stable when taking out race 7 on Sunday.
The pacer notched his third win in his last start for previous trainer and co-owner Paul Scott and he’s gone on to grab career wins four and five for Butt.
“He had been going well in the Friday night grade, so lining up on Sundays he has been pretty competitive.”
“I know Paul always thought a lot of him, the change of scenery has probably helped him.”
Sunday’s victories took Butt’s stable to 33 wins this year, placing him sixth on the national premiership.
