Roxholme Butt with Craig Morris, and Mark and Hayley Keightley

ROXHOLME BUTT could be stepped up in trip again after completing an unbeaten run through the Henlow Maiden Gold Cup at the Bedfordshire track on Sunday.

Trained by Hayley Keightley for herself and part-owner Duncan Lambie, the son of Kinloch Brae and former star stayer Fear Emoski soon paced up to lead from the inside berth and thereafter was never in danger as he crossed the line five lengths clear of Madabout Philip (Kevin Hutton) in 33.74sec.

It meant the £2,000 Category Two prize, won last year by Carol Weatherall’s Inky Holdem ahead of subsequent GBGB Marathon Performer of the Year Slippy Maggie, went to the Keightley’s Newark base – and the plan now is to take on some of the leading six-bend performers, said Keightley’s husband Mark.

“Butt’s performance hopefully starts him on his road to mixing it with the very best eventually over a full six-bend trip, that’s the plan,” he said. “I thought it plainly obvious through the event he thrived with each run at Henlow, which I suppose was likely given what’s been a stop-start career so far.

“He made the Northern Puppy Derby at Newcastle last year and the Puppy Classic semis at Nottingham, but there were setbacks along the way and none of the team had any doubt that once we were able to get a few runs into him consecutively he’d start to fulfil his undoubted ability.

“He broke slightly better in the final, and was never threatened really, galloping strongly to the line giving every indication he’ll get further.

“He’s very one-paced in my opinion, albeit with a high cruising speed, but I’m sure if we get him trapping more consistently he’ll be able to handle the upgrade in class he’s no doubt going to come up against in the coming weeks.”

“Sunday certainly saw him run his best race so far in his short career and hopefully now he’ll make his next appearance in the Queen Mother Memorial Cup at Sheffield.”

Kevin Boothby, the Henlow promoter, congratulated ‘Team Keightley’ for their success with Roxhome Butt and was delighted with how the Maiden Gold Cup panned out.

“It’s been another good competition here and we’re kicking on,” he said. “The marathon final here the previous week was a quality affair and well done to Goldies Hotspur and connections incidentally – hopefully our Savana Winner and her will have a few more battles over the year!

“In the meantime we plan to stage regular Sunday opens and are looking forward to the Bunny Gold Cup on Sunday week (March 31). That competition runs into April and then the Henlow Maiden Derby starts in May.

“I promised a full programme of top open races, Category Ones and Category Twos here in 2019 and we are delivering. Owners and trainers enjoy coming here.”