Where Butler shows his clearest promise is on normal ground, where he has sent out 1 winner from 16 runners — a win rate of 6%, twice his overall average. That suggests he either targets those conditions deliberately or simply gets more out of his horses when the track is riding fair. Either way, it is a useful pattern, and one worth watching as his string develops.
His most regular partnership has been with Doyen Lady, a horse he has saddled four times without a win so far. That kind of repeated collaboration usually means Butler believes in the horse and is patient enough to keep searching for the right opportunity. Whether that patience pays off remains to be seen, but it tells you something about his approach — this is a trainer who sticks with his horses rather than moving on quickly.
Thirty-one runners in twelve months is a small operation by any measure, and with just one winner to show for it, Butler is not yet troubling the top of the trainers' table. But the direction of travel — from no winners at all to a first breakthrough — is the right one. Small yards can take years to find their feet, and four years in, Butler appears to be edging towards something more consistent.
| Course | Races | Wins | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dundalk | 6 | 0 | 0% |
| Naas | 5 | 0 | 0% |
| Wexford | 3 | 0 | 0% |
| The Curragh | 3 | 0 | 0% |
| Cork | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Fairyhouse | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Leopardstown | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Limerick | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Killarney | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Bellewstown | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Tramore | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Gowran Park | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Punchestown | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Listowel | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Thurles | 1 | 0 | 0% |