Apprentice Ciel Butler made good use of her 2kg claim when she guided Matamata visitor Caitlyns Wish to victory in the Open 1200m Handicap at Wanganui on Saturday. 

The Stephen Autridge-prepared four-year-old daughter of Belardo had been thereabouts of late without securing top spot on the podium and was well backed in the TAB Fixed Odds market to start a $3.90 second favourite behind the heavily supported Wewillrock ($2.30). 

Wewillrock (59.5kgs), who carried a full 7.5kg more in weight than the eventual winner with senior rider Jonathan Riddell in the saddle, made a swift beginning and disputed the early pace with Caitlyns Wish (52kgs), before Bold Belle attacked the pair out wider as Butler eased her mount into a perfect trail. 

Rounding the home bend, Wewillrock took a direct path to the better going on the outside of the track however Butler had already angled into a similar space with Caitlyns Wish, and the pair set down to stage a length of the straight battle that went in favour of the Matamata mare by a long neck at the line. 

Butler was all smiles afterwards as she explained the instructions that Autridge had encouraged her to follow. 

“He (Autridge) said just be positive as she likes to be up there and although it didn’t go exactly as he thought she relaxed lovely behind the pace and it was just a matter of letting her go today,” Butler said. 

“Once Bold Belle went around us, she really started breathing well and relaxed so nicely. 

“They will all be coming down the outside today and I was always going to follow Riddell across (to the outside rail). 

Bred by Dame Wendy and Don Pye from their lightly raced St. Petersburg mare Sinalot, Caitlyns Wish is a half-sister to former top South Island sprinter Carnival who numbered the Gr.3 Stewards Stakes (1200m) amongst her four career wins. 

Autridge outlaid $38,000 to purchase her from the Haunui Farm draft during the Book 2 sale at Karaka in 2021 and she is raced by the estate of the late Stan Painton, who passed away in 2022 after many years as a loyal client of the Autridge stable.  

This was her fifth career win from just 14 starts and she has now earned over $101,000 mark in prizemoney. 

The victory took Butler to 24 wins for the season and inside the top 25 on the National Jockey's Premiership ladder.