Tyson’s knockout punch makes it 1100 for Zachary and 85 for Lincoln Farms

It was only fitting that Zachary Butcher should reach a driving milestone of 1100 wins on Tyson, a horse trainer Ray Green part-owns.

When Butcher and the gutsy little pacer fought off all challengers in the run home at Auckland on Friday night it also rang up 85 winners for Lincoln Farms.

“Zac’s as good as anybody around now, he’s the heir apparent,” Green said. “Tony (Herlihy) and Maurice (McKendry) aren’t as hungry as when they were younger and you’d have to say only Blair (Orange) is up there with him.”

Butcher’s stats are impressive, making it to 24th on the all-time list in only his 17th full season.

He still has a bit to do to catch his dad David who lies fifth on the honours board on 2680 wins, but he’s now 60, and in his 44th season.

Zachary Butcher’s first winner for Lincoln Farms, a Group I Harness Jewels on Beaudiene Boaz at Cambridge in May, 2014.Zachary has come a long way since driving his first winner for Lincoln Farms 11 years ago at the age of 23 - appropriately a Group I win behind Beaudiene Boaz at Cambridge’s Harness Jewels in 2014.

Now 34, he could claim to be the punters’ pal, landing a winner every 6.7 starts, having handled 7451 horses on raceday.

On Friday night, Butcher executed perfectly a strategy devised with Green to get the best out of Tyson, after he was held up in the run home the previous start.

“We’ve come to the conclusion we have to drive him like a toe rag,” Green said. “If you drive him pretty it doesn’t do it for him. He needs to be put into the race.”

That Butcher did, pushing forward three wide to the death before grabbing the front after 800 metres.

“He did the early work and all the donkey work in front which left him a target at the top of the lane but he’s a tough little bugger.

“He was all done at the finish but he was doing enough to get the job done. A lot of others wouldn’t have.”

Tyson, outer, photo-finishes Princess Lisa and Big Herb at Auckland on Friday night. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images.At the line Tyson had a half head margin over Princess Lisa with only a half head back to third-placed Big Herb.

It was only Tyson’s second win in 15 starts but Green is sure he’ll win more races.

“He’s quite a nice horse, good looking, and he’s got a pedigree, he’s a full brother to Nicholas Cage (nine wins).”

While very sound, Green said Tyson had been held up earlier this year when sidelined by white line disease.

“We had to cut a lot of his foot away and wait for it to grow down, which was a long process. Hopefully he’ll now carry on.”

Green races the three-year-old Art Major colt with his former Waikato breeder Pat Laboyrie, now living in Kerikeri.

“I spoke with Pat last night and he was very happy.”

Tyson was one of five horses Green tried for Laboyrie when he sold his Waikato property, the other success story being Kevin Kline, who ran another of his trademark excellent races last night.

Now raced by Lincoln Farms and some of its partners, Kevin Kline powered home for a close second to You Little Beauty.

“Kevin is a beautiful horse. He gets a cheque nearly every time he lines up. This is still his first prep and he’s getting better and better.”