By MICHAEL GUERIN
After the most dominant season of his career Anthony Butt isn't going to back away from a good fight now.
Butt admits on paper tomorrow night's $A200,000 Chariots Of Fire in Sydney looks mission impossible for his drive Pocket Me.
The classy southern pacer has yet to take on the open class horses yet will start alongside millionaire Interdominion champ Shakamaker in the 2160m 4-year-old feature.
"I know if Shakamaker can get to the front easily then we are really up against it. In fact, if he leads easily he should win," said Butt.
But all season Butt and his brother Tim have been pulling one racing miracle after another out of the bag and he says tomorrow night's race is far from over.
"I just get the feeling that Shakamaker is beatable," said the Canterbury horseman who has won three group one races on both sides of the Tasman this season.
"Shakamaker has only had the one race leading into this and maybe he won't get the front that easy and then things could be interesting."
Butt's confidence has been boosted by Pocket Me's all-the-way win in last Friday night's Four and Five-Year-Old Championship at Harold Park.
"Some horses don't adapt to Australian racing that well because of the smaller tracks and different racing styles but Pocket Me has. He could be the surprise package."
So impressed has Butt been with Pocket Me's progress he may driving the 4-year-old in next week's Ben Hur instead of Auckland Cup winning stablemate Happy Asset.
"That will depend on the handicaps."
Butt is taking a big risk committing himself to Harold Park for the next two weeks as he misses two Addington premier meetings, jeopardising his lead in the Drivers' Premier Challenge.
He leads the season-long series from Mark Purdon but is still a chance, albeit slim, of losing the $7500 overall prize.
"It is shame they clash but I have got to go where the big races are."
While Butt is going into the Chariots with some confidence, rival Kiwi trainer Barry Purdon is not so happy.
Purdon's representative Pic Me Pockets dropped out after being wide behind Pocket Me last Friday and how has a horror draw in the Chariots.
"I gave him a hard run last week but he still didn't go as well as he can," said Purdon.
"It may not be going as well as when he won the Messenger last month and from his wide draw I am going to have to drive him for luck."
The same does not apply though to Purdon's exceptional juvenile Matai Mackenzie, who will start a dominating favourite in tomorrow night's $160,000 Sales Series Pace at Addington.
Purdon flew from Sydney to Christchurch last Saturday to oversee the gelding's preparation and could not be happier with him.
"He should get a good run from the draw and I think after his win in the Welcome Stakes he deserves to be rated the best 2-year-old in the country," said Purdon.
"He has just kept on improving. I was impressed when he beat City Rogue in the Juvenile Championship up here but it was an outstanding effort to give him a big start and a beating in the Welcome Stakes."
Purdon arrived back in Auckland yesterday and will take a small team to Alexandra Park tonight before heading for Sydney tomorrow.
"I think Ronaldo would be the best winning chance on my team at Alexandra Park," he said.
"He fought well last time and was just beaten by a nice horse and from the draw should just about win."
Tonight's meeting is a minor one but will host a $100,000 Pick Six where Bold Kamwood looks an anchor in the fifth leg.
His effort to beat similar opposition last week was the run of a horse headed for open class.
And Perspicuous is expected to continue his winning form in the last Pick Six leg in which driver Glen Wolfenden could be forced to drive last week's all-the-way winner off the pace because of his widish draw on a fast front line.
Racing: Butt refuses to concede to Australian champion
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