By Garry Dell
Veteran Townsville trainers Terry Butts and Garry Dickson have linked arms to plan a winter carnival program for promising sprinter Proximate Cause, who returned to winning form at Cluden Park on Saturday.
Butts, who has been confined to bed for almost two years with serious ill health, suggested Dickson take over the training of Proximate Cause from Kerry Donnelly, who took out a training licence last year after working for Butts for more than 20 years.
The 72-year-old Dickson is universally known as "Mutta" because of his origin of growing up and training horses in the western Queensland town of Muttaburra.
He started his training career more than 50 years ago and moved to Townsville 38 years ago.
"Buttsy and I have been mates since the time I arrived here and we've always swapped ideas on training horses," Dickson said.
"We haven't always agreed on things but we've done all right over the years and this gives us the chance to forge our friendship even closer.
"Kerry did a good job with the horse but Terry thought a change might do some good.
"He's an easy horse to train but unfortunately he has had bad feet all his life.
"Local farrier and trainer Jim Fogarty has been instrumental in looking after his feet and it's mainly through his expertise that the horse is still racing."
Proximate Cause has won four races in a 13 start career, three over 1000 metres and one over 1200 metres.
He was originally sent to Kris Lees at Newcastle but then transferred to Anthony Cummings for his only start before being placed on the market.
Butts bought the horse in partnership with other members of his family, long-term friend Matt Griffith from Scone and Townsville District Court Judge Bob Pack.
Proximate Cause won first-up for Butts at Cluden Park over 1000 metres; Mackay over 1200 metres and again at Cluden over 1000 metres in his first four North Queensland starts.
He was having only his third start for Dickson on Saturday and was well ridden by Townsville apprentice jockey Isabella Teh, who claimed three kilograms.
Dickson believes Proximate Cause has the potential to give him a repeat of his dual successes in the Townsville Lightning Handicap and Cairns Lightning with Temple Run in 2021.
"I know he's still a Class 4 horse at this stage and would need to win a couple more before he could get into the Open events but there's no real reason he won't make it," Dickson said.
"But, he's certainly got the ability and it would be really special if us two old larrikins could pull it off."