Zachary Butcher one to watch at Alexandra Park

Star harness racing driver Zachary Butcher’s spring is about to get a lot more serious but not all of that action is going to be with him in the sulky.

Butcher is a week away from resuming his race night association with Merlin, who returns in the Spring Cup next Friday as he starts a collision course with Leap To Fame in the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup in November.

But while he can’t wait to get back behind the horse he calls “a beast”, Butcher is also the man to follow at Alexandra Park tonight.

He brings the brightest light in his own small stable in Mantra Blue back to the races while he will partner a handful of winning chances for the powerful Purdon/Phelan stable headlined by Duchess Megxit in the Nevele R Fillies Series (Heat 3) Mobile Pace.

“Mantra Blue will be better for her fresh up third,” says Butcher, who will hand the reins on the smart mare to claiming junior driver Monika Ranger tonight in the The Storm Inside at Alabar Mobile Pace.

“She is in a handy field and this is by no means her grand final as she has some good mares races coming up with far higher stakes.

“She is ready to win if she gets the right run but I don’t think Monny will be taking off on her so she could be a bit dictated to by the way the race is run.”

Tactics and tempo probably won’t matter to Butcher and Duchess Megxit, who has real x-factor and only meets a small field as she starts down the path to the second half of the season loaded with major targets.

She was second in a small but select heat at the workouts last week but Butcher says it was just a pipe opener.

“She was very relaxed, almost lazy, but I also didn’t kick the earplugs out.

“I know once I do that she will fire up but she is ready to go.”

Duchess Megxit is the real deal, having the speed only the top fillies are blessed with and while she has the gate speed to lead a small field like tonight she looks even more scary when swooping.

“If she keeps going the way she is she could end up one of the best mares I have driven,” says Butcher.

Earlier in the night he will pilot Miki Doo for Purdon/Phelan in race two, the Captain Crunch at Alabar Mobile Pace, where stablemate Blackjack will be hard to beat after a huge fresh fourth in a better field.

Butcher finds himself in another stablemate’s clash in the Race 3, the Tactical Approach at Alabar NI Juvenile Champs Mobile trot, where he partners Meant To Be (R3, No.7) against Higher Power, who beat it last time they met on race night.

“They met at the workouts last week and I think we (Meant To Be) had Higher Power covered.

“They are both still leaning and only baby trotters but I think Meant To Be has a big motor but he still likes having a good look around.”

Butcher’s father David is the new trainer of the best horse in tonight’s $35,000 Majestic Son at Alabar Metro Trot Final, with Pantani having joined his stable as former trainer Ross Paynter has moved to Sweden, where his wife is from.

Pantani (R6, No.14) faces a 30m handicap in a capacity field but he has an open class trotter’s motor and may still be good enough to overcome those obstacles.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Michael Guerin, for Harness Racing New Zealand