Coveted Cup drive goes to…

CHAMPION horseman Anthony Butt has been handed what is arguably the most coveted drive in Australia.

Set to watch Saturday night’s Victoria Cup from the Tabcorp Park Melton grandstand, Butt will now partner one of the favourites in the Grand Circuit event.

With regular driver Luke McCarthy unable to gain a permit to allow him to avoid Covid quarantine to travel between New South Wales and Victoria, Butt will take the reins behind King Of Swing.

Butt is already in Victoria with a team pacers and trotters from his stable.

Butt is no stranger to winning some of the biggest races in the state, having captured a record seven A G Hunter Cups, Australian Trotting Grand Prix, Trotters’ Inter Dominion, Great Southern Star, Ballarat Cup, Breeders’ Crowns Finals, Derbys, Oaks, Redwood Classic and Sires’ Finals.

The Victoria Cup, however, has remained elusive!

“I think I have been among the placings at least 10 times,” Butt said. “I just can’t seem to win it.

“Hopefully that will change on the weekend.”

One of five Craig Cross-trained runners in the Group One, King Of Swing has fared the worst in the barrier draw, with the son of Rocknroll Hanover to come from seven – the outside of the front row.

King Of Swing has an remarkable record at Tacborp Park Melton – two starts for two Group One wins.

Successful in the 2017 Breeders’ Crown as a two-year-old, King Of Swing returned to capture the Hunter Cup last February after gaining a start as the emergency.

“Two starts for two Group Ones wins….that doesn’t add any pressure at all,” Butt said. “Hopefully he can make it three from three in the Cup.”

TAB Fixed Odds have the stallion listed as the $6 third favourite.

Lochinvar Art heads the market at $2.70 from barrier four, with Balraj the second elect at $3.50.

Drawn perfectly in the pole, Balraj is also prepared by Cross.