The Empress bravely fights off Miracle Moose and Rubens after sitting parked on Friday night. PHOTO: Race Images.
Merv makes an exception buying The Empress - and with her courage, he’s glad he did
By Barry Lichter • 15 June 2019
The Empress became the sixth individual winner for Australian owners Merv and Meg Butterworth since they started sending horses north to Ray Green at Lincoln Farms when she showed great courage to score at Auckland on Friday night.
But the filly, who sat parked for most of the race and still found the reserves to stave off her challengers, breaks the mould when it comes to the proven Butterworth formula.
Whereas Steam Punk, Zealand Star (2 wins), Just Wing It (2 wins), Governor’s Bay and The Bull Pen were all bought as going horses, The Empress is one of the few Merv Butterworth has bought out of the sale ring.
Merv and Meg Butterworth have won eight races since they started sending horses north to Lincoln Farms last November.“Buying yearlings is not my cup of tea,’’ said Butterworth as he celebrated the win with a nice Aussie red and some barbecued chicken at his Melbourne home.
“I’ve probably only bought a dozen over a dozen years but I was at the sale in Melbourne in 2017 and everything added up.
“I asked Peter Judd of Benstud in Victoria what was the best of his flock and he pointed her out.
“She looked very big but I liked her and her breeding - she was out of a Washington VC mare.’’
The Art Major filly was the first foal of Easton All Action who won 12 races and was a half sister to a 1:49 performer in the United States, Easton Alliance, who won 15 races and $482,000.
With that CV, Butterworth had to go to $70,000 to secure her so it wasn’t surprising he sent her to the best in the business, the All Stars’ Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen.
“But she got a minor fetlock injury so I sent her down to Diane Cornane (at Grove Bush near Invercargill) for a long spell so she could grow up.’’
When it came time to educate the filly she went to Robin Swain, who does a lot of the early work on Butterworth’s pacers.
“She won first-up (last September) but then had a couple of viruses and a bit of bad luck.’’
Zachary Butcher brings courageous winner The Empress back to scale at Alexandra Park.After running eighth in the Southland Oaks in April, Butterworth told Swain it was time the filly left kindergarten and joined middle school at Ray Green’s to see if she would cope with Auckland company.
“Ray fell in love with her from the start. We’d been told she had a lot of speed out of the gate but she showed none last week.
“What she showed tonight is toughness and Zac (Zachary Butcher) learned from his drive last week. If he’d put his foot down in the back straight she’d have beaten Tommy Lincoln.’’
Green wasn’t surprised to see The Empress improve on her close second of the previous week.
“She’s a lovely big filly with a beautiful nature. She’s nice and relaxed and she seems to keep running.’’
Butterworth can see a lot of upside in the rising four-year-old.
“I’ve always held her in high regard. All she’s needed is some TLC and time and patience. She’s still got some maturing to do so we’ll keep looking after her.
“It’s a bit early to say she’s the best of the ones I’ve sent to Ray but I’m sure, in time, she’ll rise to the higher ranks of mares.’’
More news in Harness
Brace for Ray and Lincoln Farms at Cambridge but Colonel’s placing just as thrilling
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.”
