Master New South Wales trainer Tim Butt has mapped out an ambitious and exciting program over the next few months for his millionaire harness racing campaigner My Field Marshal.
And it'll be a three-State "blitz" for the pacer, who made a promising return to the racetrack at the weekend.
"I'm still smiling about his first-up run after being away from the races for over eight months," Menangle-based Butt said.
"There are some nice races on offer and he's at the stage of his career where we're going to take off the gloves-so that means competing in West Australia, Victoria and then back home in Sydney," he said.
My Field Marshal (Art Major-Foreal (Washington VC), is nicknamed "Monty" after Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery, considered one of history's great military commanders.
Retired in the $1 million Miracle Mile at Menangle back in early March, "Monty" ran an eye-catching second to Alta Orlando at Menangle in the McLaren Real Estate Alf Phillis Group Three Free For All on Saturday night.
"He's been in work probably four months after he went amiss – then we had to go back to the trials and requalify because he got stood down in the mile," Butt said.
"That was about 12 days ago and we'd done a few private trials at home, including one when he stopped the clock at 1.52 which is close to race speed.
"He's been doing a fair bit in the water walker at the Aquagait Equine Centre, generally after his hopple-up runs. He enjoys that. He's really more like a thoroughbred because he's athletic, fine and good winded."
See Our Field Marshal taking it easy in the Aquagait water walker here:
My Field Marshal heading out to work at home at Menangle
With Tim's brother Anthony in NZ with Inter Dominion duties, substitute reinsman Jack Trainor did a splendid job.
"We know Jack from back home in New Zealand where he worked for Cran Dalgety and he looked after the horse nicely. He drove a really good race and 'Monty' will improve on that run," Butt said.
The trip west will be nothing new for "Monty" – a similar trip last December and January saw him take out the $50,000 Village Kid Pace and $300,000 Fremantle Pacing Cup. He then ran a gallant fourth (beaten 3.3m) to Rocknroll Lincoln in the $450,000 WA Pacing Cup.
Butt said he planned to target just the Fremantle and WA Pacing Cups this time.
"Then he will be flown back to Melbourne and aimed at the A.G Hunter Cup. Then, all going well, we'll head back home for another crack at the Miracle Mile," he said.
My Field Marshal has 26 wins and 22 placings for $1.3M in stakes – and one of these wins was in the $750,000 G1 Miracle Mile in February 2018.
"If we stick around home, he's more than likely going to keep drawing the outside at Menangle which makes it extremely difficult," Butt said.
"In saying that, it's still tough to win over in WA," he said.
"And fingers crossed that the Purdon-Rasmussen All Stars team doesn't show up or we'll all be in trouble!"
Another comeback kid in Tiger Tara (trained by Kevin Pizzuto) certainly didn't go unnoticed, either, in the same race.
"Tiger" was a strong third placing after leading up. He was resuming from a short let-up following a fourth in the $30,000 G3 BP Narella Pace nearly three months ago.
Terry Gange
NewsAlert PR Mildura