Racing: Champ looks likely to return to dazzling best

It wasn't exactly what David Butcher said, it was the way he said it.

Most pre-race conversations with Butcher are relaxed, joking affairs as he acts the fool and displays a flippancy which could be misinterpreted as arrogance.

Even when discussing his meal ticket drive, Elsu, Butcher rarely gets excited. Which is one reason he has produced two incredible drives to win the last two Auckland Cups.

But this week, as much as he would like to deny it, there has been a buzz about Butcher and that spells bad news for Elsu's rivals at Alexandra Park tonight.

Elsu will use the feature race tonight as a tune-up for the A$450,000 Hunter Cup at Moonee Valley on Saturday week and anything but victory tonight will be a disastrous setback to his campaign.

With only five rivals Elsu just has to produce something remotely like his best to overcome his 20m backmark.

Butcher is expecting a lot more than that.

While he won the Auckland Cup last start Elsu has been bright rather than dazzling this summer, harness racing's shining star has been dulled since his Miracle Mile failure in November.

Although trainer Geoff Small could find nothing wrong with Elsu after his pathetic Miracle Mile effort, the pair have been playing catch-up ever since.

Luckily for Elsu and his army of supporters he is good enough to win an Auckland Cup even playing off the back foot.

But now it looks like he is zeroing in on some vintage Elsu form.

The five-year-old took on many of his rivals tonight in a 2200m workout at Alexandra Park last Saturday and destroyed them in his most powerful display since the Ashburton Flying Stakes in October.

He was barely out of third gear but still paced his last 400m in 27.2 seconds, beating Winforu by two and a quarter lengths, with Sly Flyin and Bobs Blue Boy next.

"That was more like it," said Butcher with the enthusiasm of a man looking forward to the next six weeks.

"He feels like he is getting close to his best again and I don't think he has been that good since Sydney.

"But he feels great now."

Those five words effectively end any chance Elsu's rivals had tonight.

Small agrees his superstar should win but points to the often unpredictable tempo of small-field racing as a concern.

"He should win though.

"I would just like to see him win without having a hard run, so he will be set up nicely for next week's race."

The race is also an important one for Sly Flyin, who will start from a 10m handicap.

He raced poorly for a horse of his quality at the Auckland Cup carnival but looked sharper when fourth at Cambridge last start.

With the Interdominions just 29 days away he needs to start firing to go into that series with any respect.

Sly Flyin's driver, Tony Herlihy, has a far better chance of seeing the winner's circle in tonight's main trot in which he partners the open-class newcomer Delft.

The giant has emerged from obscurity six weeks ago to be among the favourites for the Interdominions, although he faces his toughest task tonight, meeting Rosscoe and group one winner Paris Metro.

He should be aided by the small field, which will negate his 10m handicap.

His form has been so dominant many rival drivers would be reluctant to get into a war with the gelding.

Rosscoe, like Sly Flyin in the pacing race, needs to put his Interdominion campaign back on track tonight after a dreadful summer.

His regular driver, James Stormont, is confident Rosscoe is heading in the right direction and punters should give him one more chance tonight, provided he is paying at least $4.

Paris Metro beat Lyell Creek two starts ago but was costly when in season at her last start.

When at her best she could repay the faithful who stick with her but the momentum is with stablemate Delft.

On target

* Champion pacer Elsu returns to Alexandra Park tonight.

* He is expected to win the main pace, which is a lead-up to next week's Hunter Cup.

* A winning workout last Saturday convinced driver David Butcher that Elsu is nearing his best.

* A field of Interdominion contenders contest tonight's main trot.