 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 2005
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
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| Badlands Bute |
To start with, there is Danny Boyle, the bustling PR operator for Nevele R Stud who bred the colt in partnership with his brother-in-law Ron Stewart and Tim Mills, Chief Executive of the Canterbury Jockey Club. Next comes Badlands Hanover, the sire they matched with their Nero's B B mare Te Phyno, to leave Badlands Bute.
He is seen at the 2003 Inter-Dominion Yearling Sale by John Street and Graeme Blackburn, principals of Lincoln Farms Ltd, who paid the trio $33,000. They then graciously leave him in the care of Ray Green and Robert Mitchell after Ray Norton retired, when they could have easily taken the hand of caution by sending the promising youngster to a stable of greater renown. And it was wrapped up by a steady drive from Tony Herlihy, who knew the key to Badlands Bute winning depended upon the use of his lethal sprint inside the last 200 metres.
Badlands Bute is one of Badlands Hanover's first crop and was, in fact, his first siring success in New Zealand, winning at two in February last year. He was a Norton horse at first, and it was no secret he was one of the best amongst the yearlings handled at the time. The retirement of Norton turned the spotlight on Mitchell and Green, two of the 'boys' who suddenly had the job of making decisions, not taking them. With the exception in particular of Attorney General, Street and Blackburn said the rest of the team was theirs and the operation was over to them. Were they lucky to keep Badlands Bute? "We kept him hidden, but we all knew how good he was. We really wanted to keep this particular horse. We said they would do us a favour if he stayed, and they honoured that," said Green.
Both were well experienced horsemen. Mitchell had been a Norton 'lad' since 1978, and Green was working with horses when he was 17 and recalled being with Peter Wolfenden at the time he had Cardigan Bay. "I was his best boy," Green says.
In any event, they welcomed the chance to manage Lincoln Farm's classy team when the opportunity came, and with two derbies won already - Badlands Bute having also taken the Great Northern - they can feel well satisfied at being put to the test, and passing it. They have a team of 30, the oldest being four, and 10 of them yearlings. Nine of them came from the PGG sales, including three by Badlands Hanover, two by Presidential Ball and two by Artiscape. "Our operation is heavily subsidised. We have six on the staff - Shane Smith, John and Bruce Bedwell, Terry Fletcher, Ned Jelicich and Paul Curran, who will be heading back to Canada soon. It's a luxury, the way we do it. I know Ray would be very proud of both of us," Green said.
Badlands Bute, whose next start will be in the New South Wales Derby - where runner-up Baileys Dream is also heading - gave the partners mild concern when Herlihy began the last lap three-deep, following Baileys Dream and Ewie Duncan. "I was a bit worried that we'd cooked our goose at that point. But then he's deadly with a late sprint. That's his forte," he said.
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in the NZHR Weekly