Butt Heads aiming for three in a row

By Glenn Davis

Rookie Toowoomba conditioner Ashtyn Reedy only has a small team of five horses in work but for the time being she is content being a hobby trainer.

Reedy is serious about her fledgling 18-month training career despite having only saddled eight starters this season, recording two wins for a 25% strike rate.

Like a lot of budding horsewomen, Reedy started off in showjumping and has worked for several years for Toowoomba’s multiple Weetwood Handicap-winner, Kevin Kemp.

Her father Paul is a Toowoomba Turf Club board member and has owned several gallopers with the Kemp stable over many years.

“Dad owns all but one of my horses and I’ve been working for Kevin Kemp for about six years,” Reedy said.

“I’m still working for Kempy while training my own horses and Dad has raced heaps of horses with him over a number of years.

“I’m happy just being called a hobby trainer for the time being but I’d like to get more horses.”

Reedy will head to Warwick on Friday with her in-form sprinter Butt Heads who will be chasing a hat-trick of wins in the Benchmark 65 Handicap over 1200 metres.

Butt Heads also holds a nomination for Toowoomba on Saturday.

However, Reedy favours heading to Warwick for an easier assignment.

Reedy showed she was a quick learner after noticing Butt Heads needed a gear change after only two barrier trials since joining her stable from fellow Toowoomba trainer Michael Nolan.

“He had a gallop one day and I noticed he had pulled his tongue back, so I tried using as tongue-tie and lugging bit on him,” Reedy said.

The gear change worked as Butt Heads will be chasing a hat-trick of wins after the five-year-old Easy Rocking gelding was successful in a 1200 metre Class 3 Handicap at Toowoomba last month.

He notched up his second for the stable over the same distance in a Class 4 Handicap at Toowoomba’s Melbourne Cup day meeting.

“Butt Heads was my first horse to win two races in a row so hopefully he can be the first to win three straight for me at Warwick,” Reedy said.

“His last two wins were in easier company but he always tries hard so he should be competitive again."