By MICHAEL GUERIN
BRISBANE - Tim Butt is set to become New Zealand harness racing's first international trainer.
The 33-year-old outlined his latest world domination plans after Take A Moment's win in the Interdominion Trotting Grand Final.
Lyell Creek kicks off Butt's Northern Hemisphere career in Sweden on Wednesday night and will eventually end up in the United States.
And that is where Butt plans to establish a satellite stable.
"We want to have Prop [stable foreman Phil Anderson] based in New Jersey with a stable of about five horses," said Butt.
"Obviously Lyell will be the first one there and we have a few other horses picked out who are closer to their marks at home who would be suited to racing in the States.
"Long term I can see us buying horses down here, racing them up there and selling them on.
"It won't be cheap to set up but Anthony and I are keen to do it and you have got to back your judgment."
Butt can see the dual hemisphere plan developing to the stage where Anthony, his brother and stable driver, spends six months driving in the United State and six months in New Zealand.
"I will be staying here and building our team and buying horses.
"I will keep in touch with Ants and Prop about the horses up there and then I can head up when I need to.
"Based in New Jersey we can also race horses in Canada, where harness racing is really thriving at the moment."
While Butt was the king of harness racing yesterday he took time out to congratulate rival and mate Barry Purdon for the superb job done with Saturday night's runner-up Mountain Gold.
"I didn't think he would cop a hard 3200m but he did and Barry has done a superb job with him," said Butt.
Take A Moment gave the Butt brothers their second successive Interdominion.
Mountain Gold's performance to sit parked for the last 1400m was every bit as good as the winner's and had their roles been reversed the result may have been different.
There was also a glimmer of hope that 1999 Grand Final winner Special Force may be returning to his best as he stormed third after a typically beautiful drive from Colin De Filippi.
But the shock of the race was Last Sunset.
The hot favourite appeared unsettled before the start and galloped away.
That left him posted three wide and driver Tony Herlihy had to press to the lead, using more petrol than he would have liked.
With no respite in the middle stages he was beaten at the 400m but even his hard run aside he did not thrill Herlihy with how he felt during the race.
Racing: Lyell Creek first for US base
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