YOUNG Tasmanian harness trainer Zeke Slater celebrated his biggest win when Motu Crusader careered away from his rivals to take out the $40,000 Tasmania Cup at Tattersall’s Park tonight.
Motu Crusader defied a tough run early when forced three-wide for over half a lap before finally forging to the lead 1200 metres from home.
Victorian driver Grant Campbell then steadied the six-year-old gelding, saved him for a dash at the top of the home straight and he went on to score comfortably from last year’s Tasmania Cup winner Heza Trick with Our Chain Of Command a close-up third.
Motu Crusader covered the 2579 metres in 3m.10.65s for a mile rate of 1:58.96 and he dashed home his last half (800m) in 57.21s.
Slater was only issued his A-grade licence two weeks ago and Motu Crusader has only been in his stables for just over a fortnight.
“Winning any race is good but when it is the state’s most prestigious race, well, that’s something else,” Slater said.
“I’ve been fortunate to have built up a great working relationship with Merv Butterworth who has sent me six horses and I’ve been able to win with them all.”
“Winning some nice races last season with Queen Of Fire was great and then I got Greysteel to replace her and he led them up in this race tonight but to win a Tasmania Cup is what we all strive for these days,” he said.
Slater took his two-pronged attack into the Cup and at one stage it looked like he might quinella the race but it was Motu Crusader that stole the limelight
Motu Crusader was purchased by Merv and Meg Butterworth for an undisclosed sum as a three-year-old and last season he performed against the best including a win in the rich Sunshine Sprint atAlbionParkinQueenslandwhere he defeated Smoken Up and boom pacer Terrorway back in July.
Merv Butterworth has been racing horses inTasmaniafor about 15 years and said his association with Slater began just over a year ago.
“I’ve sent Zeke (Slater) six mores and they’ve all won multiple races,” Merv Butterworth said.
“My first involvement with him over the sale of a horse Our Ellas Fella that I sold to him for $500 and he won over $20,000 so I thought this bloke must know what he’s doing so
I started sending him horses to train on lease,” he said.
Surprisingly Butterworth only met Slater fore the first time last week.
“All of our dealings have been over the phone or via email but it was nice to finally get to meet him and he is a very polite young man,” he said.
Motu Crusader’s immediate future is inTasmaniabut Butterworth admitted the gelding has been nominated for the 2013 Inter-Dominion series to be held at Menangle inNew South Wales.
“The horse is nominated for the Inter-Dominion but whether we get there is another thing,” Butterworth said.click here.