Buttercup sets up big mandatory payout - Rideallday shatters track record in Ian Levy Cup

BUTTERCUP was the longest shot on yesterday's 10-race card, landing the fifth event at odds of 7-1, resulting in a $162,019 Reggae 6 mandatory payout, closed by 4-1 chance AWESOME ANTHONY, after which winning favourites dominated the programme.

The first four events were true to form, SPLENDID VISION opening the Reggae 6 at odds of 5-2, making virtually all against fellow $200,000 claimers at six furlongs.

PASSION AND BEYOND won on her third start, beating fellow three-year-old fillies in a maiden event at seven furlongs as the 1-2 favourite for Anthony Nunes, who was back in the winners' enclosure for the third won by CHOO BLUE.

United States-bred DIESEL TRAIN, a 3-5 favourite, handed Peter-John Parsard the first of two winners, mowing down fellow American ROMAN LADY close home in the fourth at six furlongs.

BUTTERCUP, who last won in July 2025, beating non-winners of two races, won on her second outing from Paul Charlton's barn, springing a mild upset on form players, who had ignored early speed shown in a previous race.

The five-year-old mare easily went by SALUD coming off the home turn among $500,000 claimers, her first run at the level after finishing almost 30 lengths down the track behind SUCCESSFULMAN, after disputing the lead with SPRAGGA at seven furlongs on March 14.

TRACK RECORD

Meanwhile, Philip Feanny's RIDEALLDAY obliterated fellow importee Smile 'N' Leave's 19-year-old track record in the Ian Levy Cup at eight and a half furlongs.

Making his first start as a four-year-old after dismissing rivals by seven and a half lengths in December's US$300,000 Mouttet Mile, the Vekoma-Song of Hours roan colt led on the bridle past PACK PLAYS at the top of the lane and raced clear to post 1:41.4 with 126lb, two-fifths of a second faster than Smile 'N' Leave's 1:42.1, carrying 96lb in 1997.

RIDEALLDAY had all but signalled his intentions last Monday morning, a week ahead of the Ian Levy, almost shattering the seven-furlong track record at exercise in preparation for the event assigned a 'win-and-you're-in' tag for the 2026 Mouttet Mile.

Galloping seven furlongs out the mile chute on a track made fast by rain last weekend, RIDEALLDAY posted 1:23.3, four-fifths off Eros' 1:22.4, a record set September 24, 1991, back in the days before the track was resurfaced and significantly upgraded.