Smooth Deal heading to Victoria

Former star two-year-old Smooth Deal is likely to have one last race in this country before heading across the Tasman.

The winner of five from 22 and over $150,000, Smooth Deal will go to ex pat Kiwi trainer Brent Lilley in Bolinda, just out of Melbourne.

In the meantime the horse has been transferred from Hayden Cullen to Bob Butt’s Woodend stable.

“He’s had some wind issues but has arrived in immaculate condition,” says Butt, “and he’s fit.”

“He’ll probably run at Addington this Friday and then fly out next week.”

The son of Bettor’s Delight won four from eight as a two-year-old but has had just one win since then (in Australia in Feb 2020), though of late he has been racing against the likes of It’s All About Faith, Ragazzo Mach, and Italian Lad.

“He’ll head to Australia when he’ll be on a low mark racing against the C1s over there ..he’d have the ability to win 3-4 races.”

Butt has around 20 horses at the moment – a “lot of young ones” – with stable star Heavyweight Hero also likely to front up on Friday.

The winner of last year’s NZ Trotting Free-for-all at Addington on NZ Cup day Heavyweight Hero (Muscle Mass – Successor) hasn’t raced since December.

“He’ll take two or three races to reach his peak, he always does,” says Butt, “and we’ll aim him at the trotting champs in April and then going well onto Auckland and the Rowe Cup.”

Butt also bought Heavyweight Hero’s full brother at the yearling sales.

“He’s being broken in and we’ll know more by the end of winter.”