By Mike Love
Major Doosie provided milestone wins for both driver Kimberley Butt and co-trainer Brent White by winning the Betavet Buildagut Mobile Trot (1980m) at Addington yesterday.
Butt brought up her 200th driving win when the three-year-old Majestic Son gelding trotted to his third victory from 12 starts. It was also White’s 300th training success.
“It’s very cool, I’m pretty stoked to get the 300 for Whitey as well. It’s pretty special.” said driver Kimberly Butt.
Major Doosie was crossed early from the dispatch before Butt elected to go out and around to arrest the lead at the mile mark. At the 1100m Butt then handed the lead to Millie Let Loose to gain some cover before peeling at the top of the straight to go on by and win by half a length, holding out a late challenge from runner-up Denver.
“He just got a bit lost in front. It was good when John (Morrison) came around,” says Butt, “he’s a pretty nice horse. He’s been a favourite of mine too for a while.”
Butt, who also works for Ashburton trainers Brent and Tim White, drove her first winner, Saveapatrol, for trainer Mark Jones at Forbury Park in 2013. She has also trained 14 winners.
“We will just keep ticking away and see what happens. I’ve always loved the driving and while I’m young enough I’ll keep having a crack at that, then I’ll definitely head down the training side at some point.”
White’s 300th training success is made up of 211 solo, with 89 having come in partnership with son Tim.
White’s first winner was in 1992 with Turbo Prince, while in recent years has had Group 1 success with American Me in the Invercargill Cup, and other major races with One Apollo and Shard’s Matrix.