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MEG & MERV BUTTERWORTH

Few owners have made such a big impression on both sides of the Tasman over the last 20 years than Merv & Meg. Both were involved in trotting stables in younger years, Merv recently recalling he fed and watered Cardigan Bay when he was making his miraculous recovery from a hip injury back in the 1960's.

Arden Rooney was their first major buy at All Stars, stayed in the stable won the New Zealand Cup after being transferred to Kerryn Manning ("better than winning a Melbourne Cup," Merv said, who also races a few gallopers). However there has been a stream of smart ones including Golden Godess, Mr Mojito, Supersonic Miss, Motu Premier, Itz Bettor To Win, Motu Meteor, Didjamalem Bolt and Blackguard's Corner to name a few. And a lot, lot more in Australia where the Butterworths hold the record for most winners in a season (nearly 150). Merv and Meg have won Harness Jewels events.

Virtually non-breeders, they have also invested significantly at yearling sales of the Tasman. They have horses in many stables including several in New Zealand and a pre-training arrangement in Southland. Unlike a number of Aussie owners here they are partial to a good trotter and have bought several - and with great success in Harness Jewels.

Trivia Fact: Merv and Meg Butterworth were Owners of the Year at the 2016 Horse of the Year Awards thereby being the first Australian-domiciled winners since John Buckland 112 years before. Their Decron Hoof Care Company sponsors the Cranbourne Cup.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in Harnessed Jan 2017

2013 ANTHONY SHEARER LTD - PINK BATTS ORDEAL TROTTING CUP

Cyclone U Bolt drew first blood in the first feature trot of the season with another tradesmanlike performance in the time honoured Ordeal Trotting Cup at Addington last Friday night. Furthering a splendid record since Melbourne's Merv Butterworth purchased him on the eve of last year's Jewels, Cyclone U Bolt and Blair Orange once again sped away from a handy draw before trailing The Fiery Ginga and slipped up the passing lane to hold off a late charge from Dr Hook.

The Dream Vacation gelding has won nine races and over $200,000 and has hardly been out of the money since the genial Butterworth bought him for a fair price last year. In that time he has of course won two Rubys, downing Escapee and Stent, in very similar fashion to his latest seccess. "He has the tactical speed to put himself in a race and the ability to take advantage of it," said co-trainer Mark Purdon. "For a trotter, he's pretty much the perfect racecourse," he added.

Purdon was himself down the track with the favourite Escapee, who was probably always going to be suspect first up in a solidly run 2600m. She made a dab four wide down the back to get round a distressed Sovereignty, but was struggling soon after. "She didn't trot the last quarter at all well and she can do that when she's not quite ready," said Purdon. Expect a different Escapee over a mile at Ashburton later next month however.

The Fiery Ginga crossed them easily from post seven and Alan Clark ran them along at a solid 2:00 clip before getting swamped inside and out over the final stages. As a result Cyclone U Bolt posted 3:14, a searching time in the cool conditions at this time of year. In fact Cyclone U Bolt was less than a second outside the national record.

Dr Hook would have almost certainly picked him up had he not been held up by Escapee on the home turn. "I've only had him since I got back from Australia last month but the owners had done a great job putting the foundation into him," said trainer Paul Nairn. "I was getting him ready for the Banks Peninsula Trotting Cup, but when he worked so well on Tuesday and the noms were still open, I chucked him in," he added.

Nairn was again puzzled by the performance of veteran warhorse Stig, who only beat Sovereignty home, but again he had no favours. David Butt was trapped three wide at the rear early from barrier nine and Stig had to work around them to sit parked from the 1900m. Stig doesn't seem the same horse that closed out last season so strongly, which included monstering them in the Rowe Cup, but Nairn is not writing him off yet and few would be doubting his ability to get the 11-year-old on track in time for the Dominion. "He seems well and perfectly sound so we'll just have to play things by ear," said Nairn. Nairn is however thrilled to bits with the progress of Lotalov, who is only weeks away from the trials after almost dying and being off the scene for over a year.

Burano, buried back on the pylons and still last before coming wide from the 500m, showed his preference for a sit-sprint type of trip with a strong finish to pick up third. That 9-year-old is far from finished yet, despite his previously "dodgy" knees. Vulcan was also good with a late fast finish out wide for fifth from well back, while Uncas tracked Cyclone U Bolt through and was going to finish at least third before galloping just 50m off the post.

Sovereignty was disappointing on the face of it, but he dropped out after striking himself in behind down the back. "He was three wide during a 59 middle half ans entitled to battle, but I was very happy with him going into the race," said Greg Hope. "He sort of has three trainers (Hope, Sean McCaffrey and Charlie Hunter) and between us we managed to sort of stuff things up last week. I put pads on him and he trotted rough early because he was floating around in them, but he trotted great and made up a heap of ground once he got going," he added.

Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 18Sep13