Racing: Butcher enjoys his lovely day

Miami H (L) gets up to beat Rostevarren in the 3-year-old trot. Photo / Supplied

Group one glory rarely comes in as differing flavours as those David Butcher tasted at the Australasian Breeders Crown yesterday.

The champion Cambridge reinsman made the most of his catch drive on Miami H to win a sensational 3-year-old trotting final before scoring one of the easiest group one victories of his career an hour later with De Lovely in the fillies' final.

De Lovely might have given punters who took $1.10 odds slightly nervous times when trapped three wide for the first lap but that just made her race slightly more interesting as she still exploded clear at the top of the straight to win untouched.

But Butcher needed an explosion of a different kind to get Miami H home after an early mistake looked to have cost him his shot at taking home some Australian gold.

Miami H galloped early from the second line and settled 50m from the leaders but was aided when key rival Rostevarren galloped briefly at the 1600m.

Rostevarren soon settled and rushed forward to lead and with Miami H forced to improve three wide the hot favourite looked in massive pain at the top of the straight.

But just when Rostevarren strode clear his explosion came, rolling to a gallop throwing away the biggest race of his career and enabling Miami H to grab him right on the line.

"I have never won a big race like that before," said Butcher, shaking his head.

"In a situation like that you feel for the other horse's connections but we have all been there before."

Especially the connections of Miami H, who have themselves lost two major races - the Harness Jewels and Victoria Derby - this season through early gallops.

"Regardless of what happened with Rostevarren, it was still a big run from this horse because we lost ground early and had to come wide."

The win was also justice for Miami H's trainer Derek Balle, who saw the colt's dam, Martina H, miss major Australian riches by small margins on a few occasions.

Both Miami H and De Lovely could have been racing for the same Victorian-based owner from now on, with big-spending Melbourne businessman Peter Chambers believed to have offered huge money for both.

The Miami H offer was one of the largest for a 3-year-old trotter in this part of the world but was turned down last month, while a record offer for De Lovely was refused last week.

She will now return home to prepare for the 4-year-old pacing features, like the Taylor Mile, Messenger and Jewels, with trainer Geoff Small keen to bypass open-class racing and even the lure of North American riches.

While few pacing fillies make the transition from age-group racing to open-class glory, De Lovely has the breeding, speed and strength to suggest shemay be one of the chosen few who does.