Life Of Luxury Awaits Big Butters

THE stellar racing career of all-distance dynamo Big Butters has come to a close with the daughter of Spring Gun retired after dropping a back muscle at Wentworth Park on Wednesday night.

Claiming 28 race track wins for father and son training duo Andrew and Adam Crouch, Big Butters (Spring Gun x Dashandy Black) retires with $95,000 in stake earnings and a swag of memorable performances for connections, including her track record breaking run at Ladbrokes Gardens over the 715 metres last June, posting a staggering 41.54.

One of only a select few chasers that could consistently mix it in top company over 500, 600 and 700 metres, Big Butters' crowning achievement came last October, qualifying for the inaugural Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase Final at Wentworth Park, joining kennel-mate and series runner-up Jamella Jet in the lucrative million dollar event, after winning her semi-final in a flying 29.69.

"She's had a good innings and the main thing is she's okay – she was bouncing around this morning like her normal self but there's obviously some bruising," said a proud Adam Crouch on Thursday.

"We'd planned on retiring her in the not too distant future but she was very close to $100,000 in prizemoney and it would have been nice to get there while she was racing so well but the main thing is she's alright, she's given us a great ride – we couldn't be prouder."

Owned by Ayden O'Donnell and bred, reared and trained by the Crouch's from their South Windsor base, Big Butters recorded some slashing times during her 63 start career, including 29.69 and 42.22 at Wentworth Park and 30.30 and 35.56 at her home track Richmond.

"We were looking through her form and we don't think she was ever run down when she led over 520m," added Crouch of his immensely versatile chaser.

"Not many dogs can do what she managed to do. You could race her over 720m one week and drop her back to the sprint the next and she'd still produce – and in top company as well. She just loved to go to the races and be competitive.

"What makes everything she did more special is that her litter is the first we've bred, reared and raced ourselves. She's the most laid back dog at home you'd ever see, I don't think we've ever even heard her bark, but when she raced she couldn't have been more competitive in everything she did.

"Her owner Ayden is going to take her home in the next few days and see how she settles in there, he has a cat so we'll see how they get on. He's right into his breeding and when she comes on season he's planning to get the outcross with either Premier Fantasy or Kinloch Brae – he only bought the Premier Fantasy straw on Tuesday would you believe. If she can throw one half as good as herself we‘ll be going alright."

And whilst things around the kennels will be a little different with the absence of Big Butters, as they say the show must go on, with Crouch venturing to Wentworth Park this Saturday night with promising galloper Sorry Scott, drawn box seven in the final of the Group 1 Ladbrokes National Futurity (520m).

"We didn't mind drawing box seven with her but Dam Slippery drawing box eight looks like it might cause some issues – she's got a lot of speed and I don't think she'd seen the track before the heats last week," said Crouch of his daughter of Barcia Bale, an 8 ¼ length second to Circle Of Dreams in her heat last Friday.

"The first time we took Sorry Scott down to trial at Wenty she was only 17 months old and went 29.90 – she's always shown quite a bit.

"After Saturday there's 1-5 wins race next week so we'll aim at that and just go from there. I think the Richmond Oaks might be a bit much for her at the moment – she did all her education at Richmond but it's funny she doesn't go as well there – she either likes tracks or she doesn't. She really likes Wenty, winning all three of her races there.

"Fingers crossed she runs a good race. She's ready to go – we've done plenty of swimming with her this week and some work up the straight. With some luck she'll be there but Jeff Britton's three do look hard to beat."