Butt will "back at work tomorrow" following race crash

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk

After waking up some with a few bruises and grazes, Kimberly Butt won't be out of action for long following her race fall at Ashburton yesterday.

"I'll take the day off today but I'll be back at work tomorrow (Tuesday)," she says.

Butt was tipped from the sulky when Verlander "tapped a knee and knocked himself off balance" just past the finishing post in the last of the day, the McCormack Decorating Mobile Pace.

"I've watched one replay and it looks like the cart finished up on top of me," Butt says, "it all happened pretty quickly."

Butt went to Ashburton Hospital immediately after the incident and was cleared of any major injury.

"I've got some bruises on my shin and back and a graze on my elbow."

In five years of race day driving it was the most serious incident Butt has been involved in.

"I was flipped out at Rangiora one day but it was not major."

After returning to work tomorrow she expects to be back driving at the races at Addington on Friday.

"It was just an unlucky accident so I'm not going to worry about it," she says.

Meanwhile Ben Butcher is likely to be sidelined for up to six weeks after his crash on Friday night at Alexandra Park. He was thrown to the track soon after the start of race 5 when his filly Iron Heart galloped and collided with stablemate Always B Misty, who was immediately behind him.

Butcher was knocked out for a short time. He suffered concussion and a broken shoulder. He spent Friday night in hospital and was discharged on Saturday morning. He's expected to be out of action for around six weeks.

None of the horses involved in the two skirmishes were seriously injured, though Iron Heart did get a few lacerations.