BUTTON PUSHED ON SHIFT NOR TH
TOM Button has added some considerable weight to the North Queensland racing ranks, with the Sunshine Coast heavyweight moving into town.
Button has opened a North Queensland stable, with right-hand man Brad Herne running the young brigade through their paces.
While the stable has been operational for three months, it has only just begun to click into gear, with threeyear-old filly Lockdown Lady a strong winner in a 3YO Maiden feature at Cluden Park on Thursday.
Put to sleep over the 1200m journey by Brad Pengelly, the Sidereus filly exploded over the final 300m to hit the line strongly, a length ahead of highly fancied topweight Endinaye.
It was a strong win for the filly, who came close to breaking her maiden as a two-year-old on the southern tracks.
“I think early on down there for a few runs she might have been ridden a bit too close. She has really enjoyed getting back off the speed and she really attacks the line,” Herne said.
“The second (Endinaye) is a good horse, so to give him a head start and then mow him down was a good effort. She is a promising filly.
“We will chase the QTIS money, there are no big expectations on her. She might pick up a few more bonuses up here and then as a late three-yearold head back down there and have a crack.”
The QTIS bonuses on offer in North Queensland are one of the driving forces behind Button’s satellite stable in Townsville, with the experienced trainer likely to send his young charges north to start their careers.
It has also allowed Herne, who trained his own stable for a period in the southeast, to get his hands dirty again.
“Tommy has got his (group of) 2YO horses educated down there and six or seven of them will come up and get ready for their first races (here),” Herne said.
“Tommy has a good idea of a horse and he will work out where they are better placed. It is a way to still keep horses in the stable and keep owners in the stable. They can come up here and race for good money, (and it is) slightly weaker than down there.
“We have had a couple of winners now, a lot of frustrating seconds and thirds but finally things are starting to work out.
“We have got eight (in Townsville) at the moment and at capacity we will have about 14. He is not going to do it half-hearted. We took out a-12 month lease on a property.
“I have loved the winter, (but I am) not too sure about what summer is going to bring. I love coming to Townsville.”