Three-horse trainer taking aim at big guns with Leopardstown bumper hope

Paul Hennessy and Heaven Help Us showed at last year's Dublin Racing Festival that it is possible for David to slay Goliath on the biggest stage, and three-horse trainer Padraig Butler will be hoping for a similar upset when he takes on the big guns next month with his exciting bumper contender Da Capo Glory.

Having been granted a restricted trainer's licence in April, the County Cork-based handler has made an excellent impression in his first full season, hitting the target with his only two runners in bumpers.

That success has been achieved while still working his day job at a pharmaceutical factory in Brinny, about 15 miles from his Timoleague stable.

"Training is an enjoyable hobby at the moment," said Butler, who previously spent time with trainers Thomas O'Leary and James Dullea.

"I'm working full-time and train the horses on the home farm, which my brother is running as a dairy farm. We built two stables, then two more, and we have three in training at the moment.

"It all started from buying a horse who subsequently won a local point-to-point at Bandon. It's taken off from there."

With 72 per cent of all races at the Dublin Racing Festival (since its inception in 2018) won by four trainers – Willie Mullins, Gordon Elliott, Henry de Bromhead and Joseph O'Brien – Butler is under no illusions about the task Da Capo Glory will face in the Grade 2 Goffs Future Stars Bumper.

Fons Vivus: decisive winner of Cork bumper this month for Padraig Butler and Darragh AllenCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

However, the 33-1 shot with Paddy Power has progressed steadily with each of his three starts and posted a smart performance to land a Galway bumper when last seen in October.

He was previously a promising fifth in the Goffs Land Rover Bumper at the Punchestown festival, a race from which the second, third, fourth and seventh have also gone on to win bumpers.

Butler said of his €6,000 bargain buy: "I don't know how much depth there was in the race at Galway but he did it in good style. Denis O'Driscoll, who we bought him off, tells me the family like decent ground and it looks like he should get that at Leopardstown.

"There are five of us involved in the horse and there were a few enquiries [to buy him], albeit nobody came barging the door down. I'm happy having one like him who hopefully helps my profile. I think he'll make a smashing hurdler because he jumps really well."

Butler added: "There's so much depth and quality that we know he could run a very good race and finish down the field. You've got the first four or five fancied in the Champion Bumper and we're under no illusions about the challenge at hand.

"He's in great form, though, and hopefully he'll run his race. Fingers crossed, with a bit of improvement from Galway, you never know."

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