Dunedin's tiny band of harness racing trainers has been boosted by the arrival of Chris Butt.
The dual-code trainer has recently moved south from Canterbury and established a stable at Westwood Beach.
Butt has five horses in work and is enjoying the switch from conventional trackwork to beach training.
''I am just working them up now. Most of them had a few weeks off before I came down,'' he said.
Butt hopes his move will help stable star Theodosia to continue the progress she made last season.
The 6yr-old hit career-best form in the autumn, notching two wins and adding third and fourth placings in group 3 and listed races, adding to her future breeding resume.
Theodosia's good form came after Butt discovered less is more when it comes to applying head gear to the trotter.
''She was panicking in the field and the more gear we tried the worse she got. So we just had to go back to basics and take everything off her.''
Theodosia had a short winter break as Butt did not want the Muscle Mass mare to lose too much of the momentum she had built up.
''She only had a month off. I didn't want to give her too long off since she was going good. She improved a lot last season and the beach should help her a lot.''
Theodosia holds a nomination for the group 1 Dominion but needs to improve her ranking to qualify.
Her good efforts in black-type races last season have given Butt hope his mare can measure up in open company this spring.
''Apart from Sundees Son and a couple of the others, she is probably up to the rest of them.
''She showed last seasons she was not far off Valoria and Winterfell and you would think they are going to be the ones chasing Sundees Son.''
Butt plans to trial Theodosia at Forbury Park on Saturday before lining her up on Hannon Memorial day at Oamary later this month.
Theodisa's good form last term helped Butt enjoy his best season in New Zealand, with five training wins.
The horseman has one galloper among his team. Hermano Rose looks an outside hope for Butt in race 6 at Wingatui today.
