Leading New Zealand trainer Tim Butt believes he can win his second TABtouch Inter Dominion with a pacer that has announced himself on the big stage over the last six months in My Field Marshall.
Tim Butt is no stranger to big race success in Australasia, he's won a record five Hunter Cups, two New Zealand Cups and Butt said My Field Marshall can deliver him his second Inter Dominion come December, after winning the 2009 Gold Coast Inters with mighty pacer Mr Feelgood.
"I think so, I think he's right up with the good horses and I think it’s just about the getting the right luck in the running in these top races and getting them right on the day," Butt told TAB Radio's Sports Daily program.
"He's a sort of horse that would handle the Inter Dominion set up pretty well and sometimes it makes them stronger, so we are looking forward to it."
My Field Marshall shot into TABtouch Inter Dominion calculations with a dominant victory in the Len Smith Mile at Menangle in June, his first open class Group One.
He proved that was no fluke with a gutsy second behind Hecotryjayjay in the final Grand Circuit event of the season 'The Blacks A Fake' a month later at Albion Park.
The son of Art Major has had two runs back this preparation and Butt said he's complete package.
"Probably his speed, he can follow speed and come off their backs when he's right," he said.
"I think the other day at Menangle is against his pattern doing it tough, but he has got more versatile and stronger with the Grand Circuit Racing."
My Field Marshall is rated a $12 chance with TABtouch for the Inter Dominion, and Butt said the market is right, declaring the $4.35 favourite Lazarus, trained by Mark Purdon the horse to beat.
"He's the yard stick he's so versatile, he has a champion trainer and he's tough, a bit of hard racing and travelling, its not easy but he's the best horse in Australasia," he said.
Tim Butt will arrive in Australia next week to prepare My Field Marshall for October's Victoria Cup before he returns to Western Australia to try and win the race that he loves so much.
"Its the best race in Australasia," he said.
"I'll put it ahead of the New Zealand Cup, when you are part of it the drama unfolds, and its a test for horse and trainer and driver with those three heats in a week and then the final a week later, not very often a good horse doesn't win it."
"I enjoyed my time in Perth when I brought Mister DG over and that was one of the great series I have ever been involved with, when four top horses went across the line together."
The TABtouch Inter Dominion starts on November 24.
Audio from this mornings interview can be heard here https://soundcloud.com/tabradio/september-19-tim-butt
