Champion trotter Lyell Creek has bid farewell to Canterbury and Addington Raceway with an effortless second consecutive win in the $100,000 Coupland's Bakeries Dominion Handicap in Christchurch last night.
The super stayer won't race again in this part of the world for at least a year - and possibly never again.
He is destined to take on the world's best trotters in North America and Europe next year, and will only return if he fails to pay his way.
Lyell Creek's win was the highlight of four victories last night for West Melton trainer Tim Butt, and his brother, top driver, Anthony.
Anthony Butt did not have to turn the whip in the run home. Lyell Creek, who had to overcome a 15-metre handicap, was always travelling too strongly for his rivals, coming clear to win by a length and a half in four minutes 6.1 seconds for the 3200m, not far outside Call Me Now's race record of 4min 5.7secs.
Outsider Frugal Echo rallied well late for Colin de Filippi after being left in the open early, then trailing three back over the final 1200m.
McGrady, who led, then trailed, fought gamely for Mark Jones to hold third.
Lyell Creek's success on the last night of the Metropolitan Club's cup meeting took his overall record to 23 wins from 26 starts.
And a superb drive from Anthony Butt in the $30,000 Free-For-All had big-winning grand circuit performer Happy Asset making amends for two luckless runs during cup week.
"I took a punt," Butt said afterwards.
"I thought the only way I could beat Agua Caliente was to burn out early and head him, and everything worked out."
Butt and Happy Asset then trailed Cigar (John Hay) from the 1800m, and finished best along the sprint lane. Cigar held second, with Agua Caliente running on late for third after having no room in the straight.
Happy Asset has now won over $776,000 from 14 wins and 22 placings in 89 starts, and is after more big dollars.
Last season's Auckland Cup winner will defend his title in the $250,000 race on December 15, then he is scheduled to head to Perth for the $A110,000 ($145,000) Fremantle Cup on January 12, and the $A250,000 West Australia Cup on January 19.
Roddy, another of the Butt brothers, who trained a former West Australia Cup winner a few years ago, will accompany Happy Asset to Perth, with Anthony going across to drive the eight-year-old.
Meanwhile, in the night's opening race, Take A Moment looked the perfect replacement for Lyell Creek when he cruised to another Addington class record win for Anthony Butt.
The five-year-old Armbro Invasion gelding stretched his record to seven wins from nine starts when he jogged home in the class four-six Jolly Poacher Mobile Trot over 1950m in two minutes 27.8 seconds.
With Lyell Creek almost certain to miss the Brisbane Interdominions in April-May, Take A Moment should fill his racing plates as a representative for New Zealand.
Take A Moment scored by a neck, but was untouched in doing so. His time of two minutes 27.8 seconds shattered the previous Addington class five mobile 1950m record, set two years ago by Prince Whiz at 2min 29secs.
The Butts took the final race on the main card with Eastnor Lad.
- NZPA
Racing: Lyell Creek back to winning best
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