4yo and 5yo Championship first major Aussie target for Let It Ride

New Zealand trainer TIM BUTT is keeping his options wide open with promising 4yo pacer LET IT RIDE.

The lightly raced son of Rock N Roll Heaven made an eye-catching Australian debut in Ballarat on Saturday, October 7 – coasting home in a heat of a C2-C3 pace series, 2200m.

With ANTHONY BUTT in the cart, Let It Ride led and did as he liked in rating 1:57.1.

Tim Butt acknowledged post race that the group 1 $200,000 Chariots of Fire at Menangle on February 10 was among possible targets, but it is far from locked in for the lightly assessed and still inexperienced gelding.

While there is no questioning the high opinion Butt has of Let It Ride, he said he would be taking it one step at a time with his initial focus on the $10,000 heat at Melton on Saturday, October 14.

Butt (pictured with his son Riley and Let It Ride) said as long as that outing went to plan the group 2 $75,000 4yo and 5yo Championship at Melton on November 11 would be his first major target on Australian soil.

“He’s got enormous raw ability, but still has a lot to learn.”

“He’ll certainly improve (with the run).”

Ballarat was Let It Ride’s first race start since June .

He had not even trialed, giving Tim Butt even more cause to be excited about the impressive-looking 4yo.

Butt said Let It Ride would largely determine his pathway, with a country cups campaign a possibility.

Let It Ride is also eligible for the rich NSW Challenge and Australasian Breeders Crown series later in the season.

A late starter, Let It Ride made his race debut in February and won his first four starts before his next three starts produced a commendable sixth to Vincent in the NZ Derby and sixth to Jack’s Legend in The Emerald.