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RACING HISTORY

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Joan & Peter Cocks with David Earnshaw

It's doubtful whether David Earnshaw, a long-time employee with Tim Butt and Phil Anderson, has ever taken his driving gear to Addington on Cup Day. He will this year, and not for any old race - for the NZ Cup itself.

Butt says Earnshaw was "in the picture" for the drive on Tribute, and said he couldn't see any reason why he'd lose it. "He's won the New Brighton Cup, the Kindergarten Stakes and a heat of the Sires' Stakes Series with the horse, so he really knows how to drive him. He's a good, little horseman, and he did the job for us last week," he said. Earnshaw, in fact, has driven Tribute six times for three wins, two fourths and a miss from his 35 starts.

Tribute set a solid pace in front of his stablemate The Flyin Doctor for much of last Friday's Cup, and he was as strong at the end as he was a lap out. The Flyin Doctor closed well and was a close second, while Roman Gladiator was a sound third, and looks on the verge of hitting immediate winning form.



Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 20Sep06