Standing start test for classy mare

Zachary Butcher is worried about a horse starting 10m behind him getting in front of him and staying there in the pacing highlight at Alexandra Park tonight.

Butcher is not only a superstar harness racing driver but is developing into a respected trainer, with the star of his very small team being Mantra Blue (Sweet Lou).

She has won her last two Alexandra Park outings against similar opposition but tonight’s $20,000 IRT Your Horse Our Passion Pace has one big differece: it is a standing start and Mantra Blue gets only a 10m start over established open class pacer American Me.

These days Mantra Blue’s speed may be more than a match for American Me’s stamina but the old boy has her covered for standing start manners.

“That is my main worry, he begins so quickly he could go straight past us and even put horses between him us,” says Butcher.

“If he does that then all the advantage will be with him and under those circumstances he would become the one to beat.”

While Mantra Blue has looked back to something like her best with her two recent victories, Butcher still thinks she has more to offer and it is at her most potent when driven for speed.

“So I want to follow them and drive her that way but that may not be an easy way to beat American Me or even some of the others.”

One horse who could trouble both if he can begin well and get to the marker pegs is Twista, who has always appealed as a stayer and could be well suited by tonight’s 2700m.

Butcher has winning chances in tonight’s two other major races but both will also need racing luck for different reasons.

Ocean Eyes is one of the favourites for the $34,000 Classique Landscapers Silk Road Trot but isn’t particularly well off in the handicaps off 15m.

“Scotty [co-trainer Scott Phelan] is confident she will improve on her last start and she can win but it is a really even field so manners and racing luck will play a big role,” says Butcher.

Butcher will also partner Ultimate Racy Girl (R5, No.7) in the Silk Road Pacing heat as she chases her third win on end.

“She is flying but 1700m race can be really difficult when you are drawn out there and have gate speed drawn inside you.

“A horse like Seaclusion drawn inside her could get across them early and be really hard to beat if she leads.”

The meeting and the Addington fixture that runs aside it on Friday Night Lights give Team Telfer several opportunities to continue their incredible last six weeks in which that have gone from 20 wins behind then leader Michael House in the trainer’s premiership to 11 in front.

They have at least five winning chances across the two meetings tonight.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Michael Guerin, for Harness Racing New Zealand