Special win for Kimberly Butt

Almighty (Father Patrick) provided a special moment for harness racing trainer/driver Kimberly Butt when the four year old mare won at Omakau today.

Kimberly’s grandfather Dick Prendergast, a well respected trainer, particularly of trotters, passed away last week aged 93.

“The win is right up there with the special wins I’ve had. Granddad was from Central Otago. He was renowned for his work with trotters so to get a trotting win down here was really special. My colours have a sash in them copying his sash and his colours,” Butt said.

Prendergast trained 277 winners including the 1987 Dominion Handicap winner Simon Katz which was driven by Kim’s father Anthony.

In today’s race Almighty stepped well and trailed pacemaker Storm Cloud. Butt hooked out her mare coming down the straight and she got the better of Storm Cloud to win by a length with five and a half lengths back to Brother Johnson in third. All three placegetters were by Father Patrick.

ALMIGHTY REPLAY

“She’s got lovely manners on race day which really helped her out today. She probably lacks a bit of the speed of a top horse. I think the more experience and outings she has the better she’ll get. She should be a lot of fun for Nana who always comes down for this meeting and is a big supporter. To get a win down here was super.”

Almighty was bred and is owned by Kimberly’s grandmother Jenny Butt and is out of the Monarchy mare Princess Sophia which won five for Kimberly’s uncle Tim Butt. Kimberly drove her in three of her wins.

“She was one of the horses I drove very early on in my career. She was one of my first regular drives when I first started out driving. It’s pretty cool to be training her progeny. She (Princess Sophia) was a very tough mare who we didn’t see the best of because she had a few issues with her knees. When I first got Almighty into training she reminded me a lot of Princess Sophia just in her mannerisms.”

The win was Kimberly’s twelfth as a trainer.

“I do really enjoy the training side but it’s hard to juggle driving as well. I think I’ll head that way at some point.”

Butt says Almighty is on the float heading home tonight and could head to the Marlborough circuit, or just race around Canterbury.

“With trotters, manners go a long way and she seems to have that. I don’t think it’s the last of her wins.”

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink