Cairns/Butler combo to continue at Mackay

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Olivia Cairns is hoping to continue her successful strike rate with jockey Ash Butler when she saddles up two starters at Mackay on Tuesday.

Butler will take the ride aboard Fire King in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap over 1300 metres and Hurricane Fighter in the Class 2 Handicap over the same trip.

She also had accepted with Exelant Mosh in the Benchmark 65 Handicap and Roadhouse in the Benchmark 55 Handicap before scratching from both.

Cairns and Butler have proven to be a lethal combination in recent times with the Rockhampton-based rider landing seven winners from his last 23 starters for the stable.

“I’ve had a lot of success lately with Ash but that’s probably because he’s heavier than most and gets the better rides,” Cairns said.

Fire King has drawn perfectly in barrier three in the QTIS race and has an excellent record with three wins and six placings from only 10 starts.

The only time the gelding missed a place was on debut when he finished sixth in Townsville in February.

The son of Worthy Cause has won three of his past five starts and is coming off an easy last start win over 1100 metres at Mackay on August 26.

“I thought his last win was his best so far and he’s improved a lot since then,” Cairns said.

“Isis Carmella is the danger again and he’s never beaten her yet as she’s a filly and gets two kilos off each time.”

Hurricane Fighter is topweight with 60.5kgs in the Class 2 Handicap but Cairns has resisted the temptation to claim.

The six-year-old has been in Cairns’ stable for only three starts after being placed three times from his six previous runs for Townsville trainer Chris Attard.

A son of Savabeel, Hurricane Fighter is coming off a last start sixth to Prime Ruler in a 1250-metre Class 2 in Cairns last month.

“I don’t think he’s a kid’s horse and I’m putting blinkers on him for the first time,” Cairns said.

“Ryan Wiggins suggested I try blinkers and this looks a nice race for him to try them.

“He’s one of the better chances in the race so he’ll go well if he copes with the blinkers on.”