Butcher keen to make “great” year even better

Star driver Zachary Butcher loves nothing more than beating his father David and has done it again by setting a new North Island stakes record.

But even some outstanding drives to end the season may not be enough to see him join one of the most exclusive clubs in harness racing.

Butcher heads to Alexandra Park tonight for the first of three major meetings to see out the year, with two Group 1s tonight, the new Golden Gait series next Friday and the Auckland Cup on December 31.

He starts that stretch almost $1million ahead of his best ever stakes season in New Zealand, having driven the winners of $2,523,376 in a season where he also joined the 1000 wins club.

His tally is also a record for a North Island-based harness racing driver, bettering the $2,328,344 his father David’s drives won in 2008-09.

“Just goes to show you the great progress harness racing is making with Entain’s help and I am just thrilled to be part of it and getting on such good horses,” says Butcher.

His record numbers puts him in with a mathematical chance of becoming only the third driver after Blair Orange (twice) and John Dunn (2021) to drive the winners of over $3million in stakes in a NZ domestic season.

But with over $475,000 to go he might need even more than Duchess Megxit (Sweet Lou) and I Dream Of Jeannie (Pegasus Spur) in $100,000 fillies and mares races tonight, Duchess Megxit and her stablemates in their $100,000 Golden Gait races next week and Merlin in the $250,000 Auckland Cup.

“Regardless of the final number it has been a great year,” says Butcher.

He has a legit shot at the Group 1 double tonight with Duchess Megxit a $2.70 favourite in the $100,000 Woodlands Stud Queen of Hearts while I Dream Of Jeannie is the best performed mare in the new $100,000 TAB Queen Of Diamonds for trotting mares.

“Megxit has to be a chance but she does have a tricky draw,” admits Butcher.

“I think they will go hard early so I will probably try and stay out of that and swoop on them late.

“That can always change but she must be going all right because she wouldn’t be here if she wasn’t. She was only 50-50 to start last after coming back from the Oaks.”

The Queen Of Hearts should be run at a good tempo with gate speed from Mr Kaplan, Seaclusion and Lady Of The Light while the tactics on Princess Meritaten, who was stunning on her Alexandra Park debut last Friday, will be interesting.

Like Duchess Megxit she can fly late but if they both go back at the start that takes some early pressure out of the race and starts a game of cat and mouse they can’t both win.

Duchess Megxit is a proven Group 1 filly though so looks the best bet.

I Dream Of Jeannie ($6.50FF) has paired with Butcher a few times before with mixed success but at a higher level than tonight’s new mare’s trot.

“She is staying at my place and she looks great,” says Butcher.

“She is off 10m but could get a good through and she has been going really good races so she can win for sure.”

It is good, even first running of the Queen Of Diamonds though and a lot may depend on how keen the favoured front liners like Con Grazia Love and Faith In Manchester want to hold the lead and run along.

Both are capable of trotting 3:25 for the 2700m which would make them hard to catch for those coming wide.

Tonight also sees Auckland Cup winner Better Eclipse ($2.50FF) return to Alexandra Park for a $60,000 Lincoln Farms Franklin Cup that looks suitable even off a 30m handicap as it has some rugged stayers who could drag him into the race.

Butcher drives Invisible in that race and add in Ultimate Racy Girl (R2), I Got Chills (R3), Hezasweetie (R7), Romeo Foxtrot (R8) and Greased Lightnin (R9) and he will be a hot favorite for the driver’s challenge.

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by Michael Guerin, for Harness Racing New Zealand