Glenn Conroy and Button Brigade.
At 10 years old he’s reached greybeard status, but if anyone’s told Button Brigade then the gelding hasn’t listened. Or maybe his ears aren't as sharp as his legs.
The Daylesford squaregaiter from the Bob Conroy stable will line up on Friday night in an attempt to break his metropolitan maiden status at overall start No.158.
He’s racing in career-best form with three wins from his past four starts, two at Bray Raceway Ballarat and one at Ararat.
By Band Of Chips out of Red Coach Glory mare Red Buttons, Button Brigade has been a handy earner for the Conroy team with 14 wins and 45 minor placings from 157 trips to the races.
This season he’s had six starts for three wins and two minors, while last season he won two races and placed nine times from 40 goes. He's collected just shy of $90,000 to date in stakes.
“He seems to have taken eight years to become an overnight sensation,” said reinsman Glenn Conroy, who is hoping the leaders run along in the DNR Logistics Vicbred Trot (Race 2) at Tabcorp Park.
“We’ll probably have to go back from the draw and hope there’s some speed on.”
But will there be any pace about? “Well, you have to hope there a couple of bad drives and one isn’t you,” Conroy quipped.
Despite his recent form Button Brigade's mobile start record is at best plain. He has graced the starter 34 times from behind the arm and has only registered three thirds from those attempts.
“And 33 of those were good drives,” Conroy laughed.
“That’s a staggering statistic. Let’s hope he can make it one from 35 on Friday night.”
Button Brigade does have winning form at Melton, albeit just the one victory from 34 outings there.
His best work is done from behind the tapes and in recent times Button Brigade has twice overcome 30-metre handicaps to beat horses such as Stoned Again and Tella Tall Tale.
“I’d started to think his metro front opportunity had passed him by,” Conroy said. “Now he’s had a run of form we thought we’d give it another shot.”
Button Brigade will receive stiff competition.
His rivals include Chris Alford trained Celtic Rose, Mick Blackmore’s smart mare Majestic Grace, Matthew Craven’s enigmatic but exciting gelding Hinault and smart stablemate Will Atone, Craig Demmler’s handy five-year-old Lightning Calder – whose last run was enormous – and former South Australian Nico Serrano for Ross and Greg Sugars.
-ENDS-
Media enquiries:
CODY WINNELL
COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA MANAGER
HARNESS RACING VICTORIA
PO BOX 184, MOONEE PONDS, VIC 3039
400 EPSOM ROAD, FLEMINGTON, VIC 3031
t: 03 8378 0288 | f: 03 9214 0699 | e: cwinnell@hrv.org.au
www.hrv.org.au
