Button dodges wet tracks with Capricornia fancies

By Glenn Davis

Sunshine Coast trainer Tom Button is hoping his decision to dodge wet tracks at home will be rewarded with wins in the two feature races at Rockhampton's Callaghan Park on Saturday.

Button will be looking for back-to-back triumphs, after claiming both the Capricornia Yearling Sale Classic and the Capricornia Yearling Sale Championship for the first time last year.

In a COVID-disrupted year when racing was restricted to zones, the Capricornia Yearling Sale Classic was run twice, with Button claiming the 1200-metre feature with Miss Lot Won in the two divisions held in April and October.

He also claimed the Capricornia Yearling Sale Championship in October with Flying Crackerjak, who previously finished second to Marway in the April edition.

Button has left no stone unturned in his bid for more success, and will saddle up a team of four starters in the two-year-old event, while he’ll have three representatives in the other feature.

Button was a former leading rider in Rockhampton before turning to training 11 years ago, winning the Rockhampton trainers’ premiership five times before relocating to the Sunshine Coast.

With the recent rain deluge in south-east Queensland, Button rolled the dice and moved some of his stable early to Rockhampton to dodge the big wet.

“I’ve done it differently this year by deciding to come up here more than two weeks ago,” Button said.

“I moved a few of them away early because I couldn’t get the work into them with all the rain at Caloundra.”

Button rates Valley Rattler as the best of his team, which also includes Kamarcher, Parkburn, Ashcroft and Lockdown Lady in the Capricornia Yearling Sale Classic.

He rates Flying Crackerjak ahead of stablemates Miss Lot Won and The Silver Lady as his best hope in the Capricornia Yearling Sale Championship.

“I think Valley Rattler has the best form in the two-year-old race and Flying Crackerjak is my best chance in the other race,” Button said.

Valley Rattler is a son of Denman, and was an impressive winner in a two-year-old maiden at Eagle Farm on March 10 before a last start seventh to Stu Kendrick’s promising I’ve Bean There over 1400 metres.

Flying Crackerjak has won five of his 21 starts and has been placed at his last three appearances, including a last start third to Ventura Ocean in a 1400-metre Class 6 at Eagle Farm last month.

“While I prefer Valley Rattler and Flying Crackerjak, the others aren’t without their chances,” Button said.

“It’s hard to go against Miss Lot Won after what she has done so far in her career and The Silver Lady also is a great chance in the two-year-old race.”