3 minute read

Leading Kiwi trainer-driver Anthony Butt put himself right in the spotlight when he agreed to prepare a massive team of horses for Australia’s biggest owners Emilio and Mary Rosati.

Anthony had moved from New Zealand and settled into the Victorian harness racing scene before following his elder brother Tim to Sydney to drive a lot of his horses.

But when trainer Noel Daley decided to return to the US, Rosati asked Anthony Butt to take over his big team and Butt has tackled the task with relish and capped it off by preparing the quinella for the Rosatis in tonight's $200,000 APG NSW Derby at Menangle.

Anthony steered the Victoria Derby winner Line Up, who worked hard to find the front then defied anything to run him down before scoring a powerful four-metre win over stablemate Perfect Stride (Cameron Hart), with outsider Zeuss Bromac (Gavin Fitzptrick) a head back in third place in a 1:52.8 mile rate. Pacifico Dream and Mach Dan were just behind the placegetters.

Rosati was naturally ecstatic with the effort of his team.

"We finished first and third in the Victoria Derby in Melbourne and they said to me 'you've got to be happy with that'." said Rosati.

"I said 'no, I'd prefer to run first and second'.

"Well, tonight we've done that – and yes, it's as good as it gets."

Rosati paid special tribute to his wife Mary: "She always says buy, buy, buy, so I have to thank her for that – because I do just that," joked Rosati.

"And as for Anthony (Butt) he is doing a phenomenal job – even though we have a long way to go."

Butt was just as delighted as he headed off to prepare My Field Marshal with brother Tim for the Miracle Mile.

"This is a world-class facility here at Menangle and we are fortunate to be training here," said Butt.

"It's a privilege to be training so many quality horses and I'm rapt to be getting the results.

"My partner Sonya is an important part of this partnership and I have to thank her, as well as the rest of the staff – this is certainly no one-man band, that's for sure.

"And we'll all be celebrating well tonight."