It coincides with them selling a half share in then-emerging pacesetter Minstrel to Greg and Skye Bond in Western Australia.
Minstrel became a Gloucester Park player almost immediately on Friday night, winning the Group 1 4YO Golden Nugget on just his fourth run in WA.
Given the significant time difference between the Butt’s Woodend house on New Zealand’s South Island and Perth, and having burned more than their share of the midnight oil, they stayed up to see Minstrel in action.
Five years later and after 30 career wins and over $1.76 million in earnings, Minstrel is still doing his thing.
In fact, driver Deni Roberts thinks the rising nine-year-old is racing better than ever.
That means it’s a lock that the Butts will be glued to their TVs just after midnight on Friday evening (12.07am on Saturday to be exact) as they watch Trackside to watch Minstrel successfully defend his crown in WA’s most prestigious race, the $450,000 Group 1 WA Pacing Cup.
It is his fifth crack in the race.
Minstrel ideally has a draw in gate two and is a $2.10 favorite.
“Every year, every time he competes in a big race, you keep thinking this could be his last,” Catherine Butt said. “Greg and Skye (Bond) have done a remarkable job to keep him racing at the highest level for so long.
“We flew over to watch a few of his big races, the past two Nullarbors and last year’s Sydney Inter Dominion final.
“We can’t cross this time, but my sister-in-law, Penny Calder, and her husband will be in Gloucester Park for that.”
The Butts bred Minstrel and he was always destined to be sold.
“That’s our business: sell the boys and use that money to keep the girls and breed them,” Catherine said.
‘He didn’t really have a commercial proposition Rock’nroll Hannoverbut he already flew so well, here we made a few offers for him, but he failed a few times at the vets.
“We were very disappointed at the time that we couldn’t sell it because it was worth a lot of money, but it turned out to be a real blessing.”
Greg Bond, one of those who tried to buy Minstrel outright, later came back with an offer to buy half and leave the existing owners with the other half.
“Along with Habibti, he is the best horse we have been involved with and it was so exciting to share what he has done in Perth,” Butt said.
Roberts, who calls Minstrel her “career-changing” horse, can’t wait for Friday night.
“I took so much confidence from his win last time (JP Stratton Cup) when he did all the work and Magnificent Storm and Mister Smartee had the chance to beat him,” she said.
“The draw is obviously important and he is going into the best form of his career, which you pinch yourself for as an eight-year-old.”
For full race entries, click here.
Through Adam Hamiltonfor Harness Racing New Zealand
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