The Prestigious Dominion

The Butt and Cox families already have their names on the Dominion trophy. But this year they’ll combine their efforts to try to add another chapter to their Dominion stories.

Jenny Butt matriarch of the Butt family has entrusted her granddaughter Kimberly and Kimberley’s partner Jonny Cox to prepare the up and coming gelding Prestigious (Majestic Son) for the big race. Jonny is doing the training and Kimberly the steering.

As an owner, Jonny’s grandmother won the Dominion with David Moss in 1993 and 1994. For most of his career the big trotter was trained by Jonny’s father John, but Robert Cameron was the trainer and driver in both of his Dominion wins.

“We were the same age, so I was lucky enough to witness those wins. My first memories of him were of going to war with Call Me Now, Diamond Field and Pride Of Petite and some of those great trotters. I was allowed to go to most of his races so I was pretty lucky back then,” Jonny said.

David Moss was a special horse to the Cox family.

“Grandad broke him in and he died when the horse was five. He always said to be patient with him and Dad was. Nana and Oddvar Andersen from Norway owned him. I think I drove him by myself once and he took off on me. That was the last time I was allowed to drive him. He was a big powerful horse and I was only a wee fella back then.” 

Twenty years later Jonny got to train and drive Jaccka Justy to win the 2014 Dominion which he co-trained with Amber Hoffman.

It was Cox’s first Group One training and driving win.

“You never forget those. You dream of winning those types of races.”

As a driver Cox had had a bit to do with Jaccka Justy when he was trained by his owner Charlie Smaill.

“He was always fast. He was quite a big horse and probably a bit immature.”

Going into the Dominion that year there was no guarantees that Jaccka Justy would get a start. But his run in the FFA the week before was encouraging.

“We drew one on the second line, got a cosy trip and we rocketed down the outside. He was a horse that didn’t take a whole lot of racing and we didn’t normally back him up. I rang Brian Rabbit (Addington Raceway) to see what our chances were of getting into the Dominion and he said there was no guarantee.”

But he got start in a capacity field of fifteen.

Jaccka Justy settled well back on the outside. Inside the last 800 metres when Stent made his move, Cox was able to get into the three out running line. Turning in he moved out four wide to make his run and he mastered Stent and went down to the line to win by two and a quarter lengths from Sheemon.

The Butt family also has an impressive record in the Dominion.

Kimberly’s father Anthony has driven nine Dominion winners; Take A Moment (2001, 2002 and 2003), Lyell Creek (1999, 2000 and 2004), Mountbatten (2007), Vulcan (2011) and Simon Katz (1987) while her uncle Tim has trained seven winners and had a share in 2008 winner Stig.

“I remember being at Addington in the early 2000s and the race became Dad’s race. It felt like he was winning it more often than not,” Kimberly said.

To make Vulcan’s win even more special, Jenny bred and owned the gelding.

“I remember Nana winning it with Vulcan. She’s still got the photo on the wall with twelve to thirteen grandkids around her in the winners circle at Addington. That was pretty special.”

Prestigious was also bred and is owned by Jenny.

“We’re pretty lucky to get her breed now that Tim’s moved on and Dad’s not training. We share them around between Chris, Carter and I. She takes enjoyment out of any of her grandchildren’s success. For her to breed this fella and have him with us is very cool and she’s loving it,” Kimberly said.

Prestigious qualified in May last year and in three starts as a three year old recorded a win and a second placing.

“He was a bit of a handful early days, that’s why he ended up in Jonny’s name. Robert Anderson broke him in for us and he had a hell of a time long reining him. He could just get pretty strong in the cart and he was a big boy. We left him a colt for a while.”

Kimberly has driven once in the great race when in 2019 she paired up with the Coaster Howe trained Didjabringthebeers which finished sixth.

“That was my first one. I’m just excited. I’m one of those ones that on the day I might get a bit nervous. I thought I might have a chance of making it this year with Eurostyle but that went out the window when she was retired and that was disappointing. I was lucky to have this fella ready to go (laughter). We always thought a fair bit of him. He had a fair bit of talent and Jonny called it early days and said that he was going to be better than Master Class. You always hope they’re going to be a good one but we all know how hard it is to get a genuine top liner.”

At age four Prestigious has really come into his own, having won six of his thirteen starts and running second four times. His last win was in the G3 Renwick Farms Trotters’ Classic when after sitting parked he easily beat Habibti Pat by two lengths with Mighty Logan a neck back in third.

“I knew he’d be competitive. You think you have a nice horse and time and time again you get found out when you take the step up. For him to take the step up and the way that he did it was pretty cool. We called him Boof because he had a big head but he’s a bit of a boof by nature as well. I don’t think he realised what he did the other night. I think that’s in his favour. He doesn’t realise what he’s capable of,” Kimberly said.

This campaign Prestigious has had three starts for two wins and a second.

“Eighteen months ago he was probably a bit on the weak side. With racing and a bit of time strengthening up he’s trotting pretty solid now (touch wood). His two trials this time in were probably a step ahead of where I thought he was at. He was great first up when he ran second to Kawateri Trev when he was four or five wide from the 600 and just went down. He just got a wee bit lost in his second start (back). He stepped away and was all at sea and the bright lights probably got to him a little bit. They ran a slow middle half which helped our cause,” Jonny said.

Kimberly says Prestigious also possesses plenty of speed.

“In his last few runs it’s shown his stamina and how he can be pretty tough. He actually has a good turn of foot on him for a big trotter. There’s been a couple of nights at Addington when he’s been in the trail and the leader has galloped on the bend. He’s lost all momentum and he’s had to really pick himself up. His best attribute is how he can relax and adapt.”

Having won last week’s G3 Trotters Classic, Prestigious is now guaranteed a start in the $400,000 Renwick Farms Dominion.

“Jenny is keen to go and we’re keen to go to. We nominated but it wasn’t our sole target and if we didn’t make it, it wasn’t going to be the end of the world. He’s got the Harness 5000 in Ashburton in December,” said Jonny.

“We didn’t expect to be there and there’s not a whole lot of pressure that goes with him. He’s trained by Jonny and owned by Nana. He’s not going to go around as a $1.10 shot. I think it’ll be one I really enjoy,” Kimberly added.

Jenny who lives in the Templeton township but still owns the forty acres she and her husband Murray owned there, has played a major part in Prestigious’s upbringing.

“She did a lot of work with him early days. She has all the mares and foals at her place. We send them back to her to spell and she bulks them up for us. They’re all pretty good to deal with because she does a fantastic job rising them. She’s been around horses for seventy eight years. Her dad was a very good trainer and she’s been hands on over the years. She’s still out there on the tractor, feeding up and weaning horses.”

Cox says Prestigious will now head to Ashburton for the $40,000 Ashburton Trotters Sprint on Labour Day Monday.

“He’s been one of my favourite round here since Pinseeker left. I’ve got a lot of time for the horse. He always tries to do the right thing by you. He’s lovely to work and lovely to have around.”

From a breeding perspective, sons of Majestic Son have won five of the last six Dominions – Gus in 2025, Oscar Bonavena 2023 and Sundees Son in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Also of note, Sundees Son was by Majestic Son out of a Sundon mare exactly the same cross as Prestigious.

Kimberly says 3200 metres of the Dominion won’t bother Prestigious.

“Going back to for a lack of a better word his dumbness, I think he’ll just keep going. He just doesn’t know not to (laughter).”

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink