Perfect Stride goes to Ants after doing Ray proud in Breeders’ Crown Final
By Barry Lichter • 25 August 2019
Trainer Ray Green handed the reins to driver Anthony Butt in more ways then one when Perfect Stride contested last night’s A$300,000 Breeders’ Crown Two-year-Old Final at Melton, outside Melbourne.
The rich end-of-season feature was Perfect Stride’s swansong for Green and when he resumes as a three-year-old it will be from the Menangle stables of Butt and partner Sonya Smith.
So it was with some pride that Green watched Butt drive a perfect race on Perfect Stride to land third prize money of A$30,000, taking his bankroll for Lincoln Farms’ Pukekohe trainer to A$79,295 from just 11 starts.
“The little fella ran home well. But the other horse was just way too good,” said Green of Be Happy Mach who ran away to a seven metre win over Youaremy Sunshine.
“I was pretty happy with the run and it was nice that Zach (on Zeuss Bromac) let him up the inside when his horse was buggered.”
Zachary Butcher and Zeuss Bromac took the full brunt of Be Happy Mach’s arsenal when he attacked for the front and while Butcher eventually relented, it left the horse short on petrol in the run home, and he only battled into fourth.
Perfect Stride makes good ground up the inside but the bird has well and truly flown.Butt says he lost a little momentum on Perfect Stride when held up by Zeuss Bromac turning for home but it made little difference to the result.
“We were never going to beat the winner - I had to burn a bit off the gate too - so I was quite pleased with the run. And it was no disgrace running third to those two horses.
“It was also a tough night’s racing in very windy weather.”
Green says he expects Perfect Stride to do a great job with Butt and Smith.
“There are only three or four better than Perfect Stride here. He’s a pretty good horse and he’ll get better as he matures.
“He’s such a little gentleman.”
Butt says Perfect Stride reminds him of Lincoln Farms’ Make Way, who was an outstanding performer from his stable last season and is due back in work on Tuesday.
“They’re both beautifully mannered horses. He’s probably a bit more advanced than Make Way at the same stage.
“He’s not far from the very best and some of the good two-year-olds don’t improve and the others catch them up.
“There’s no reason he won’t get better and better. If he does half the job of his brother Chicago Bull I’ll be happy.”
Perfect Stride will now spell for six weeks at the Sydney farm of owner Emilio Rosati, who enjoyed dual success earlier in the night when Butt drove his two young trotters Liberty Stride and Ultimate Stride to victory, both trained by Oamaru’s Phil Williamson.
More news in Harness
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Ray: Preferential draw for top fillies makes it tough for everyone else in Golden Gait series
Patient owners hoping high-priced Colonel can salute at Cambridge on Thursday night
Friday’s Lincoln Farms Franklin Cup all about the standing start manners of Aussie raider
Our runners this week
Tuesday at Cambridge
Colonel Lincoln, Onyx Shard, Commander Lincoln, Debbie Lincoln, Kevin Kline, Lincoln La Moose, The Big Lebowski.
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 2: Commander Lincoln
5.51pm
“Back to Cambridge and the easier amateur ranks he can get some of it. He’s an honest little horse who pays his way.”
Race 4: Onyx Shard
6.49pm
“She’s a nice filly who is training really well and it wouldn’t surprise me to see her in the money in spite of the outside draw. She’d be one of the best in that field and is definitely an each-way chance.”
Race 6: Colonel Lincoln
7.39pm
“He hasn’t raced for nearly 21 months but his training has been good and he should go well first-up. He’s a beautiful, big horse who probably lacks a yard of speed to be a real super horse but he’s got everything else. I expect him to go well against this lot.”
Race 7: Lincoln La Moose
8.04pm
“He’s training well and has surprised us before, like when he won his first start at Cambridge like a monster after breaking on the first turn. It’s always the way when they win their first start - it makes things hard for them after that - but he’s travelling well now and is capable of being in it.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Lincoln Lou
7.09pm
“He’ll be relying on a heap of good luck from the second row. His last run was a non-event. The poor little bugger couldn’t have done a better job of finding trouble. He’s trained on all right.”
Race 4: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.09pm
“He’s training really well and he showed last time what a big motor he had, losing all that ground early and still getting up to win. He’s not famous for his gate speed but as long as he gets away safely then Maurice can put him in the race at the right time. There are a lot of horses in there that aren’t that safe who could stand on their ear. Navigating through them is always a worry. He’ll need some luck but he could give them a fright.”
Race 6: Frisco Bay
8.05pm
“He obviously can’t beat Duchess Megxit or Jeremiah but if he gets a good trip he’s a chance of getting some money. Things didn’t suit him last time - being out three wide then going to the front. He’s so hot, he over-races. He goes best if he’s allowed to slop out and find the back of something, when he generally relaxes. Even if he got back a bit, that would be all right, so long as he gets sucked along.”
