Evergreen trainer Colin Butcher masterminded an exciting maiden victory for his family's gavelhouse purchase Baldy. who broke maiden ranks on his home turf at Sale on Monday.
"He [Colin
Butcher] just loves his horses and loves getting up to do them so will be very
stoked with this," Butcher's grandson Brent commented in his post-race
interview on Racing.com.
"We knew he was fit which is half the battle with him but you never quite know," he said of the son of So You Think who was having his thirteenth start.
Happy to pilot Baldy to victory over the 2200m trip in what was tough going on the Soft 6 track, jockey Michael Walker had to work for the result commenting "He travelled beautifully but is a bit of a quirky horse and at every corner he lugged out and ran off the track a little bit."
"All in all it was a great pick up ride and he was strong in the end."
Bought online for $10,500 from Mick Price Racing having had two tail end finishes for the stable, the now four year old has returned over $50,000 to the Butcher family to date.
Baldy is out of the stakes-placed Van Nistelrooy mare Sun Valley who is a half to multiple stakes-winner Shenzhou Steeds (Ishiguru) and was given a good spell before being brought back into work.
"He's pulled up fine so we will poke around with him and probably race again in fortnight in a 64 race at Moe and then after that he will be nearly ready for spell," Brent Burcher commented.
In charge of buying the family's charges, Butcher also secured Heeza Force for $7,750 in November from gavelhouse.com.
Yet to step out in his new colours, the family are looking forward to getting him to the races "Heeza Force had a jump out this morning and should be ready to resume in a few weeks."
"It's a real family affair with three generations involved in racing these horses headed up by my grandfather Colin as trainer."
"The whole family is really enjoying the ride!"
The latest gavelhouse.com Australia auction is online now with horses from the likes of Chris Waller, Mick Price, Darren Weir and Freedman Racing on offer. Bidding is set to close from 7pm AEDT Monday.
Entries for the next gavelhouse.com New Zealand auction at due online at 7pm on Monday 11 February.
