Will the Hunter Cup king Doo it again?

Champion harness racing driver Anthony Butt has a mini drought to break.

Butt holds the record for Del-Re National A. G. Hunter Cup driving wins with seven, but it’s a decade since he saluted in Victoria’s biggest race with Mah Sish in 2013.

It all started when champion mare Blossom Lady went back-to-back in 1994 and ’95. Then followed Mister DG (2004), Stunin Cullen (2011), Choise Achiever (2012) and Mash Sish.

“I’m due an eighth. Hopefully it’s this year,” Butt laughed.

And out of nowhere has come a wonderful opportunity to do just that.

Mick Stanley’s misfortune with a back injury has paved the way for Butt to take the reins on one of the most exciting pacers in this part of the world, Rock N Roll Doo (Rock N Roll Heaven).

Fittingly, Butt sees some similarities between Rock N Roll Doo and the mighty Blossom Lady, who kick-started his Hunter Cup love affair.

“They’re very different horses, but he reminds of her the way he lugs in on the bends and shifts out in the straights,” he said.

“In that way, she’d be the most similar top horse to him I’ve driven, but on looks he’s the spitting image of a nice horse I trained a couple of years ago, Wolf Stride. The first time I saw Rock N Roll Doo I said to Mick (Stanley) they were identical. I honestly thought I was looking at Wolf Stride.

“Even when I drove Rock N Roll Doo at the (Geelong) trials last Monday, he looked like Wolf Stride from where I was sitting. He’s got that big backside.”

Interestingly, when Butt took the reins on Rock N Roll Doo in that Geelong trial, it wasn’t the first time he’d been aboard.

“No, I drove him in a trial for Mick almost a year ago, after he galloped in the 4YO Bonanza and had to trial before going to Sydney where he won his next start,” Butt said.

“I was actually on standby to drive the horse in Sydney, but when Luke (McCarthy) didn’t have a drive in the race, they put him on.”

So, how did Rock N Roll Doo feel almost a year later?

“Awesome. I was rapt with his Geelong trial,” Butt said. “Most importantly, he relaxed beautifully and only went when I asked him to.

“I was most impressed with his speed. He just felt amazing, like a seriously good horse, when I asked him to sprint.

“I guess that surprised me a bit because he’s driven tough in so many of his races. If the chance presented itself to drive him with a sit and use his speed, I know he’d be lethal doing that after how he felt at Geelong.”

ROCK N ROLL DOO TRIAL REPLAY

Butt spoke with Stanley at length about the mess that was the Garrards Horse and Hound Bendigo Pacing Cup before the trial.

“Mick said he put the half blinds on him to try and get out of the gate a bit quicker from the pole and also changed his tongue tie,” he said.

“The horse just resented it, especially after Mick came around and had a look for the lead. He said he just pulled too hard.”

Butt, renowned for his form and knowledge on major races and rival horses, was really taken by Rock N Roll Doo’s dominance in the Kilmore and Victoria Cups before going to NZ late last year.

“He was terrific in both those races. Not many horses in modern day racing can sit parked and win really big Group 1 races and he did that easily in the Victoria Cup.

“He’s got that grounding in him now with the trip away to NZ and he could be ready to really deliver.

“Of course, I feel sorry for Mick, but to have him come along as a drive in these big races is a wonderful opportunity.

“I’ve been doing a bit of driving for Mick lately and if it wasn’t me on him, it would be somebody else.”

Butt takes the reins in a race for the first time on Rock N Roll Doo in Saturday night’s Group 1 PETstock Ballarat Pacing Cup and then it’s the Del-Re National A. G. Hunter Cup two weeks later.

Depending on how quickly Stanley recovers from his two fractured vertebrae, Butt is also on standby for Rock N Roll Doo’s Miracle Mile raid at Menangle in coming weeks.

“I’m just glad to be driving him in these next two, we can worry about the Sydney races later,” Butt said.

“Put it this way, you couldn’t ask for a better pick-up drive. If you had the pick of the lot for a Hunter Cup, he’d be top of the list I think.”

by Adam Hamilton for Harness Racing Victoria