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).
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Tyson
6.59pm
“He was tough again in winning last week. He’s trained on well, is in good shape, and should be right in it.”
Race 4: Sugar Ray Lincoln
6.59pm
“He’s finally getting his act together - he’s gone three good races in a row - and seemingly turned the corner. We’ve had a lot of (vet) work done on him, his feet in particular, and it’s paid off. There’s not much between him and Tyson.”
Race 5: Rivergirl Bella
7.23pm
“She’ll need everything to go her way from the draw. But she’s got a bit of speed. She’s getting there. She wasn’t very strong before and wasn’t tracking too well, but she’s driving right now.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.23pm
“She’s had a few issues, mostly mental ones, and is still a bit of a handful. It wasn’t very pretty last week but we’re slowly getting her under control. The outside draw might actually help her.”
Race 5: Angelic Copy
7.23pm
“She needs only a half decent trip to feature. She got held up a little bit in the straight at a crucial time last week and that was that.”
Race 6: Prince Lincoln
7.49pm
“He’s drawn the best of ours in three. He got cheated for a run last week. It’s hard to know where he’d have finished without that.”
Race 6: Lincoln Lover
7.49pm
“Ferg reckoned if he’d been able to hold up in the trail last week he would have won. He was very bullish about how he’d gone. The draw’s no help but he can do a bit of work. He’s an honest little guy who saves his best for when the money’s up on racenight.”
Race 6: Johnny Lincoln
7.49pm
“He got a bit keen last week but he should be a lot better this time. He’s still learning and he’s a slow learner. When he does things correctly he’s a pretty nice horse. Hopefully he can get a suck into it from the second row draw.”
