Australian-based New Zealander Anthony Butt has landed the drive on defending titleholder Smolda in the $120,000 PETstock Ballarat Pacing Cup on Saturday night.
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He replaces Smolda’s trainer and regular driver Mark Purdon, who will take the reins of odds-on favourite Lazarus in the group 1 event.
This will be Butt’s first drive on the reigning Inter-Dominion champion.
Like Purdon, Butt is one of Australasia’s most decorated reinsmen.
He has seven AG Hunter Cup victories and will be shooting for a third Ballarat Pacing Cup success, having won on Stunin Cullen in 2011 and again with Mah Sish in 2013.
While Lazarus was installed as a $1.30 favourite when betting opened with TAB.com.au after Monday night’s barrier draw in which he landed gate seven, although confident about the champion four-year-old’s prospects the quietly spoken Purdon was conservative in his assessment.
A champion 2yo and 3yo, Lazarus made a claim to being Australasia’s best pacer by taking out the NZ Trotting Cup last month.
“Lazarus had 10 days off after the NZ Cup week,” Purdon said.
“I don’t think he’s back to where he was in the NZ Cup, but he’s going to be hard to beat.”
Purdon certainly dismiss Smolda’s chances.
I don’t think he’s back to where he was in the NZ Cup, but he’s going to be hard to beat.
- Mark Purdon on Lazarus
“He could be a chance.
“He is going well coming off the SA Cup and Inter-Dominion and won the Hunter Cup last year, so we all know how good he is,” the master trainer said.
Lennytheshark, which was second to Smolda in last year’s Ballarat Pacing Cup, will lead the Australian charge at Bray Raceway.
Ballarat and District Trotting Club will have a nine-race program on Saturday night, with the first event at 6.30pm.
The meeting also features the group 2 $30,000 EB Cochran Trotters’ Cup, which has attracted a capacity field.
