Zealand Star is cruising at the line, ahead of Rock N Shard and Patanjali. PHOTO: Trish Dunell.
Zealand Star notches another one for Green and Butterworth
By Barry Lichter • 6 January 2019
First Steam Punk, now Zealand Star, and soon Just Wing It - that’s the impressive score card for Pukekohe trainer Ray Green with horses owned by Merv Butterworth.
When Zealand Star scored a commanding win at Cambridge last Friday it was the second time Lincoln Farms’ trainer has scored for the big Australian owner in double quick time.
Steam Punk won at Auckland in his second attempt for Green before Butterworth decided his future lay in Australia.
Replacement Zealand Star took five starts to win after two recent indiscretions at the start - but he still saluted within a month of starting racing from Lincoln Farms’ Pukekohe base.
And the ease of his win suggests he could go back to back when he returns to Cambridge on Friday.
Driver Zachary Butcher drove a perfect race on the sit-sprinting five-year-old, keeping him back until launching at the 600 metres and easily rounding up the leader Patanjali to score this first win in nearly 11 months.
Zealand Star showed 2700 metres was well within his scope as he clocked a respectable 3:25.5, a mile rate of 2:02.5, doing his best work late.
Dynamic duo … trainer Ray Green and driver Zachary Butcher.Green’s move to fit an undercheck obviously did the trick at the start, preventing Zealand Star from lifting his head and becoming unbalanced.
But Butcher’s decision to keep him off the gate also helped, as he stayed relaxed, three lengths behind them on dispatch.
Butterworth wasn’t at Cambridge to see the win - he was 5300km away in Perth to see his former Kiwi SunofLindenny run favourite in the $50,000 Trotters’ Cup at Gloucester Park.
Things didn’t go to plan there when the horse galloped away, was then held up by a breaker, and forced to sit parked for the last half of the race, tiring late to fifth.
Now a rating 70 horse, Zealand Star will have to step up a grade this week but Green says that won’t stop him as he has the motor to win more races.
It’s too soon for Green to tell what’s under the hood of newcomer Just Wing It who has only been jogging since Butterworth sent him to Pukekohe last month.
But he likes what he’s seen so far from the bold four-year-old son of Art Major.
Just Wing It started his career with Michael Purdon and in five starts he managed two thirds, including a 2:42.7 third behind Power Dreaming at Auckland after sitting parked for the last mile and being nabbed only 50 metres out.
He hasn’t raced since October 12, ironically in the Lincoln Farms Pace, when he was checked into a break 400 metres out and injured, found to have cut a pastern.
His dam Starling has left 18-race winner (Our) Blackbird and the up-and-coming The Night Hawk (3 wins).
More news in Harness
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Spiritual Bliss and Lincoln Maree add to Lincoln Farms’ gallery of Manawatu heroes
Video clue on why Lincoln Lover is tipped to go boldly fresh-up at Auckland on Friday night
A picture of Bliss but poor Harry’s arms were nearly pulled out of their sockets
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 3: Lincoln Downs
6.22pm
“She got home really well on the second night at Manawatu and gets a good draw here. There’s not much exposed form in the race so it’s hard to know how she compares but she’ll win one.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Debbie Lincoln
7.01pm
“I thought she went super again last week with no luck and we’ve got a decent draw for a change so you have to like her chances. She’s been getting in on the corners, so we’ve added a Murphy blind.”
Race 3: Tyson
7.01pm
“I was impressed by the way he hung on to Captain Sampson and Greased Lightnin last week. They’re strong sprinters and it was only a sprint up the straight. He’ll need things to go his way from six.”
Race 3: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.01pm
“It was his first run for a while last week and he probably needed another trial. But we thought we might as well race him to set him up for this week. The outside draw of eight doesn’t help.”
Race 9: Lincoln Lover
9.55pm
“He’s not as sharp as our other two but he’s a game little bugger. He’ll win races for sure.”
Race 9: Prince Lincoln
9.55pm
“I thought he went really well last week. He’d had only one trial and was a bit fresh so it was understandable that he got tired the last bit. That will tighten him up and I’m expecting him to race well. He’s trained on well since.”
Race 9: Johnny Lincoln
9.55pm
“Prince has the wood on Johnny but he’ll still go well. He found the line well last week. It was his first run for a while too, and his first as a gelding.”
