Zac Butcher still doesn't know how Jacks Legend won Saturday’s Emerald crown without his lucky charm on-course to watch the 3-year-old upset the apple cart.
“Charmian (Nausbaum) has always been my good luck charm. Whenever she’s on-course I seem to win. I’m surprised she wasn’t there on Saturday. Regardless Charmian will always be my lucky charm. That’s just the way it is,” Butcher said.
“Alan (Dormer) and Charmian are such wonderful people. It is owners like them that make you want to give your very best every time you go out on the track. They are absolute gems,” he added.
The couple own Jacks Legend with Katrina Purdon, Terry Henderson, Monty Baker, Clear View Racing Syndicate No 1, and Solid Gold Standardbreds. They paid $80,000 for the Bettor's Delight brown gelding at the 2015 Premier Yearling Sale in Christchurch.
Nausbaum watched the race live on Trackside, but her husband (Dormer), who is the chairman of New Zealand Bridge, was actually playing his favourite game in Auckland when the Hanley Formula Emerald for the 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings was raced.
“My wife taped the race and I got a hell of a surprise when I came home and watched it. It was a bigger thrill than most because we never expected ‘Jack’ to win at odds of $46. We might have gone down if Mach Shard had made the Final, but this time we elected to stay at home.
“That’s our fourth Jewels victory after Sky major won three for us as well,” the 68-year-old retired barrister said.
He said the victory may have cost him a few mates.
“I never tipped him out simply because I thought he wouldn’t win. I thought the Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen favourites might be too strong. Sadly I never had a bet on him either,” Dormer said.
“We all love winning but when that win is entirely unexpected it adds a bit to it. We were over the moon. It was a brilliant drive by Zac. He’s a lovely person and like Barry (Purdon) – such a wonderful horseman,” said Dormer said.
The Parnell couple have owned several good horses over the years and absolutely love harness racing.
“We never miss a meeting at Alexandra Park if our horses are running. Harness racing is a wonderful sport with wonderful people. I have been going to the races since I was eight or nine.
“My parents use to take us three or four times a year and we really enjoyed it. I’ve been going for 60 years now. My first horse was the Cavalier who won 11 races (between 2006 and 2009). He was also trained by Barry, and Scott Phelan,” Dormer said.
Dormer and Nausbaum have owned several good standardbreds since then including three-time Jewels winner, Sky Major, Five Card Draw, Precious Rose, To The Lady, Maxim, and recent Young Guns/Cardigan Bay Stakes winner, Mach Shard.
“I usually take a 20 per cent share,” Nausbaum said. “We have had some great times in harness racing and been fortunate to own some nice ones. ‘Jack’ completely surprised us last weekend – and what a lovely surprise it was,” she added.
Dormer said the best horse they had owned was the former Purdon trained 2009 Bettor’s Delight gelding, Five Card Draw, who won seven races in New Zealand and then another 17 in Australia. He ended up winning more than half a million dollars in stakes and also recorded a 1:53.7 mile.
"He was my favourite horse and won many Group races including the 2yo Jewels Final in 2012. 'Jack' has a wee way to go to catch up on him but now that he's won his first Group One, hopefully he can go on with it," Dormer said.
He said Jacks Legend would now be spelled and aimed towards to New Zealand Cup at Addington in November.
"That would be a thrill because we have only had one starter in the great race and Sky Major pulled a puncture that year.
"No matter what happens we are very fortunate to have both Barry and Zac doing the business with our horses. they are two of the very best horsemen in New Zealand.
"I can't reiterate how good a drive that was by Zac on Saturday. Both he and Barry make the sport very exciting," Dormer said.
The Purdon trained Jacks Legend has now won five of his 16 starts and placed five times for $163,336. Saturday's Jewels victory was Jack’s Legend’s first Group One win, but he has also placed in the Group One 2016 New Zealand Sires Stakes Final and the Group Two 2016 Elsu Classic.
He was bred by New Zealand harness racing legend – Jack Smolenski.
