By MICHAEL GUERIN
CHRISTCHURCH - Only manners stopped Anthony Butt from bursting into laughter at Addington last night.
As officials, well-wishers and the media swarmed to congratulate the Canterbury reinsman after Lyell Creek's effortless return to racing, the biggest pat on the back was the one Butt was giving himself.
On Wednesday Butt had taken up an offer from Graham Bruton to purchase a quarter share in Lyell Creek, for an undisclosed sum thought to be between $100,000 and $150,000.
That is a lot of money for a share in a 7-year-old trotter who is guaranteed to be off a backmark in every handicap race he contests for the rest of his life, but Butt knew what he was doing.
He and trainer brother Tim were adamant that Lyell Creek was even better than during his all-conquering season last term and he sure looked it last night.
The champ worked his way to the front after 800m of the 2600m mobile and was never asked for a serious effort as he slaughtered the best open-class trotters in the South Island.
And even then he was only a second outside Basil Dean's 17-year-old record for the distance.
``That was amazing. He did it so easily and down the back straight I couldn't believe it. He was just jogging,'' said Anthony Butt.
While last night's winning stake of $12,220 won't even make a dent on what he paid for his share in Lyell Creek, the win indicated it was money well spent.
Lyell Creek trotted far more squarely than he did last season, which will be crucial when he heads to the Northern Hemisphere to take on the best trotters in the world later this season - and that is when Butt's investment should really pay dividends.
``Watching how smoothly he trotted tonight tells me he is better than last season and that is a pretty incredible feeling,'' said Tim Butt.
The ease with which Lyell Creek won his 17th race on end last night suggests he will have few problems with his southern rivals and should be able to keep his record intact until the northern stars arrive for the New Zealand Cup carnival.
But on what he showed last night Lyell Creek won't have too many fears then either.
A roughhouse first lap ended any hopes of a northern victory in last night's Superstars Championships.
The northern trio of Cool Hand Luke, Falcon Rise and Champagne Party all either suffered interference or broke early in the $35,000 feature and that left them struggling to make an impact on all-the-way winner Bruzem.
The latter had made a flyer from the stand to lead easily and after an easy middle section was able to pace his last 800m in 56.4 seconds, giving those back in the field no chance.
``He has always felt like a good horse and I knew when he led that easily tonight they wouldn't be able to run him down,'' said driver Mark Jones of Bruzem, who is now unbeaten in five starts.
``He is as good as any 4-year-old I have driven and he will go all the way to open class.''
Best of the northerners Champagne Party settled well enough after her early gallop to secure the one-one and was a gallant fourth while her stablemate Cool Hand Luke flew home from last for fifth after being checked twice.
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