Cambridge opens its 2025 season today
By Brigette Solomon
2025 at Cambridge Raceway gets underway today, with local trainer-driver David Butcher confident his runners can feature.
“They’re all fit and most have been racing well although they are in pretty level fields today, so it won’t be easy for any of them,” says Butcher.
The first of the Butcher-trained runners is You Little Beauty in Race 3, the Hire A Venue At Cambridge Raceway Mobile Pace over 1700 metres for Fillies and Mares.
The Sweet Lou mare has done the bulk of her recent racing at Auckland and most recently finished third in the Listed Magness Benrow Sires Stakes Fillies and Mares Classic on New Years Eve. It was a tough performance with the mare sitting parked throughout the 1700 metre race before dropping to the fence when space opened up on the home turn and taking the passing lane, holding on to finish an honest third and only 1.7 lengths from the winner Treacherous Gall.
“I think Mhai Surfer Girl and Joes Rock will be the toughest ones to beat today,” says Butcher, “but she’s had a fair bit of racing and she’s fit, happy and ready to go, although I don’t think she’s quite as good left handed but she’s a tough mare and definitely a place chance.”
In Race 7, the Dunstan Horsefeeds Mobile Pace, Butcher starts Louezyana who has drawn seven over 1700 metres.
“He’s been racing pretty good and while it appears to be a drop back in grade it’s still a pretty decent field with some handy horses that are on a level mark,” says Butcher, “I’ll be hoping for a top two finish, but it will really come down to the run he gets.”
Louezyana is another who has primarily raced at Auckland having only raced at Cambridge on one occasion. The Sweet Lou gelding finished seventh at Alexandra Park on New Years Eve but was only 3.7 lengths from the race winner Invisible, and the start prior was only 3.4 lengths from Golden Gait winner Rough And Ready when finishing fourth after being three wide over the final 800 metres sustaining a solid run home.
Of his outside drives, Butcher thinks both Rise To The Occasion (R1) and Barbarossa (R6) are also solid place chances.
Rise To The Occasion is trained by Warren Rich at Morrinsville and starts fresh up from a spell tonight and has a creditable record of seven placings from his nine race day starts.
“Ben (Butcher) usually drives this horse so I’m just the fill in driver but he’s got to be a chance and usually does everything right so I think he’s capable of being in the top three,” says Butcher, “Barbarossa is one that is racing good at the moment and he’s a place chance if they go hard.”
The Captaintreacherous gelding is trained by Butcher’s son Ben and starts from barrier nine in tonight’s event. Butcher also trains and drives Mary Lou (R4) and drives Dragonstone (R5) for trainer Arna Donnelly, and Sonsofthemerch (R8) for trainer Tim Hall.
Racing gets underway today at 5.47pm.
Harrinson Orange gets double for Michael House at Tauherenikau
By Brigette Solomon
Trainer Michael House and Harrison Orange combined to score a winning double at the North Island’s first race meeting of the New Year at Tauherenikau yesterday.
“I rung Harrison three weeks ago to see if we could organise for him to come down and drive at these central districts grass track meetings and I’m really pleased for him that it’s paid off and he’s driven a couple of winners for us,” said House.
“He’s grown up watching his Dad (Blair Orange) drive a few hundred winners in these colours and now he’s driven his first double in them which is great.”
The pair’s first win for the day was with Son Of Patrick who took out the Hilton Delegat Painting & Decorating Handicap Trot with a somewhat unconventional victory.
The Father Patrick gelding was safely away from his 50 metre starting handicap and Orange allowed the gelding time to tack onto the field, moving to sit one out and three back from around the 1200 metre mark. Having to come four wide on the home turn, Son Of Patrick took some time to wind up down the home straight and it looked as though he would run into the placings with King Of Diamonds a run away leader. Just 50 metres shy of the line, King Of Diamonds shied at the winning post, breaking and veering outwards hampering both Cool Phelan and Cosmic Angel while out wide on the track Son Of Patrick had clear running to cross the line second. He was subsequently promoted to first as King Of Diamonds had gone past the post in a gallop.
“It was a funny old race but Son Of Patrick got some luck which is what he needs,” said House, “he’s a lovely old horse and we’ve spent some time getting him really sound and happy and now he’s dropped down the grades a bit I’m hoping he’ll become a Central Districts pro as there’s a bit of racing here over the next few months.”
“I’m really happy to support Harrison and it’s strategic to put him on the team at these meetings with today being penalty free for Son Of Patrick and any other wins being half rating points.”
Megyn Kelly then scored her maiden victory in the Osborne Group Chartered Accountants Mobile Pace giving House and Orange consecutive race wins for the day.
The Shadow Play mare started from barrier 10 and Orange allowed her to settle near the tail of the field before the steady tempo prompted him to head off three wide down the back straight to end up parked with around 800 metres to run. The lightly raced mare was somewhat green when she hit the front on rounding the home turn, but when Tres Bonne Fille loomed up alongside her she regained confidence and the pair put a solid distance on the rest of the field with Megyn Kelly doing it better on the line to win by half a length over Tres Bonne Fille with remaining runners 7.5 lengths off the pair.
“Megyn Kelly arrived just a couple of weeks ago from Colin Harrison who bred and trained the mare at Timaru prior to her joining us,” said House, “she’s quite a big mare who just lacks a bit of ringcraft yet and is still green but we’re getting her fitter and she found the line well today so she’ll improve yet.”
“We’ll see how she pulls up as to if she starts at Otaki on Monday but there’s a chance she will, and Son Of Patrick will be starting there too.”
The House stable also had a fourth placing with Fabricate who was beaten just 1.6 lengths.
Grass track racing continues in the North Island with the Kapiti Coast meeting at Otaki on Monday.
