It may have been a modest start when considering the big stage ahead, but Stunin Cullen still made heads nod when he won in good style at Addington last Friday night. Anthony Butt used his speed to lead and allowed him to work evenly in front before a sharp blow up the straight to finish off the work and eight others.

It was nothing less than what trainer Tim Butt expected, knowing he wasn’t NZ 3-Year-Old Pacer of the Year without performing at a better level than this.  Just what level it will be this season, at five and against Grant Circuit horses, is a question Butt prefers to save for later on.
“He’ll tell us where he gets to, but for speed there wouldn’t be too many I’d be scared of,” he said. Stunin Cullen had not raced since January, in Victoria, and before then he was campaigned briefly in Perth.

This was not a good time for the horse, whose Australian venture finished at the Werribee Veterinary Clinic where he was treated for a wind problem. This followed a film examination while he was exercising on a walking machine.  After a spell in the North Island and a four-month preparation, Butt is in the comfortable position of seeing the first of his ‘A grade’ players on the track and performing.  “Raglan is a week away. He’s a great staying horse and I have a lot of time for him,” he said.  For a start, he said, his brother would handle Stunin Cullen and Mark Jones would be with Raglan.