Champion Kiwi horseman Anthony Butt further fortified his position in BIG6 Hunter Cup folklore tonight, steering five-year-old Stunin Cullen to a brilliant victory and kicking off a brand new era of the iconic Group 1 race at Tabcorp Park in style.
Already the most successful reinsman in the history of the 3280-metre stand start feature with four wins, Butt made it five with a copybook drive aboard brother Tim’s versatile son of Christian Cullen.
But rather than focus on his own incredible achievement – recorded in front of arguably the biggest crowd ever hosted at Victoria’s new harness headquarters – the champion horseman preferred to pay tribute to his stunning steed.
“Look I’ve had a lot of luck with some fantastic horses and fantastic trainers,” Butt said. “I just feel lucky to have won one (Hunter Cup) – a lot of great drivers never even get to do that.
“But tonight is all about the horse. He’s really stepped up this season and it’s not easy up here with the boys, so tonight was a really great effort.”
Laden with the task of carrying the unluckiest saddlecloth in racing – 13 – Butt’s former top juvenile settled well back in the field through a moderate lead time of 130.1 as last week’s The Pure Steel winner Our Chain Of Command led them around.
Sitting pretty, just as he did when winning last week’s Group 1 Ballarat Cup aboard the same horse, Butt soon seized the opportunity for three wide cover behind compatriot Smiling Shard through a 29.7-second opening split off the last mile.
Creeping forward behind his great sparring partner back home, Stunin Cullen quickly surged into the contest through a second split of 31.1, and with race favourite Im Themightyquinn hamstrung at the tail of the field, he quickly loomed as the horse to beat.
With Our Chain Of Command quickly collared by Power Of Tara in the breeze, who in turn felt the looming presence of Smiling Shard three-wide through a 28.3-second penultimate section, Butt could hardly have scripted the race better himself.
And when the Ashburton Flying Stakes winner unleashed his signature sprint at the top of the lane, he left a 14-strong field of top line pacers lamenting.
Piercing through a final fraction of 27.6 to close out a 2:01.1 mile rate, team Butt’s newest stable star proved too good by 3.1 metres from an incredibly game Smiling Shard, with Village Of Dreams the best of the locals a head away in third.
For the second successive year dynamic West Australian pacer Im Themightyquinn had the greatest tale of woe from the race, held up behind tiring horses late, but still good enough to sizzle home for fourth.
But the race, and the night, was all about the brilliant Butt’s and their millionaire five-year-old pacer.
“I’ve driven some great horses in this race, but this guy’s got a special place for us and it’s obviously a real buzz to win again,” the champion horseman revealed.
“He’s really bounced back and deserves everything that he gets from here on in.”