Next Gen on the track and in the sales ring

Two generations will join forces at Addington this Thursday.

One of this country's driving greats Anthony Butt will head home from Victoria to steer Next Gen two-year-old Tour Party in the Studholme Bloodstock 'Thanks Buyers' 2YO Mobile Pace (7.38pm).

Tour Party, a $150,000 purchase at the 2025 National Yearling Sales, is a full brother to reigning Horse of the Year Republican Party and will be making his debut alongside Cran and Chrissie Dalgety-trained stablemate On Ya Bike.

He is a Next Gen eligible horse through the ownership criteria. At least 30% of the colt's ownership group are new HRNZ owners or were born after 1985

The other two Next Gen criteria are :

- It must be trained by a Next Gen trainer (a trainer who has not won a Group 1)
- The sire must have its first, second or third New Zealand and Australian crop.

Among Tour Party's Next Gen owners is Josh Mantell, who acquired a 3.5% share in Tour Party through winning last year's "Win a Share in a Next Gen Yearling" competition.

As go-to driver Carter Dalgety is currently suspended it was Butt who got the call up to drive Tour Party during the Dalgetys' stable star Republican Party's Hunter Cup mission in Melbourne last week.

With Butt being Chrissie Dalgetys' brother he could hardly say no.

"They seem to have a high opinion of him and it would be great to start things off on the right note," says Butt.

Butt is currently re-locating to New Zealand after 14 years in Australia to take up a job at the country's top stable Stonewall Stud.

Among the  familiar faces in Thursday's race will be the in-form Kimberly Butt (daughter) driving On Ya Bike, after her Group-winning double last Friday.
 
"The way she's going it will be a mission to beat her," he laughs.