By MICHAEL GUERIN
Tim Butt can't believe the words coming out of his mouth.
But in his heart he knows they are true. He knows Lyell Creek, last season rated the best trotter ever produced in New Zealand, is even better for this campaign.
"I know that sounds a little hard to believe and I actually feel strange saying it," said Butt.
"But it is true. The way he has been working and trialing I think he is better than he was last season."
That is an astonishing statement when you consider what Lyell Creek did last season.
Like winning the Interdominion Grand Final, Dominion Handicap, Rowe Cup, every other feature trotting race in New Zealand and becoming only the fourth trotter to win Harness Horse of the Year.
Even trotting legends Roy Purdon and Peter Wolfenden rated him as good, if not better, than any New Zealand trotter they had seen.
So if he is better, that spells a painful night out for his rivals in Friday night's Ordeal Cup at Addington.
Lyell Creek has not raced since winning the Rowe Cup in March but has had three trials to prepare him for Friday.
"And they way he went at Ashburton last week he is pretty close to his peak," said Butt.
"He trotted his last 800m in the wet in 57 seconds and was never out of second gear.
"But that isn't the main reason I think he is better than last season. He is trotting much better, more squarely.
"We are using lighter
shoes on him in front and he seems to be even more comfortable in them.
"That, along with the experience he gained last season and just being that little bit stronger, has made him a better horse than when you last saw him."
Being a champion comes with a price though and Butt admits anything less than a win, even from the outside of the front line, on Friday night will be a shock.
"I expect him to win. He should head forward until he reaches the front and stay there. I will be stunned if he doesn't," he said.
"I know the day he gets beaten will come soon enough and we will cop it and move on but I don't think it will be Friday."
Because Lyell Creek has developed into harness racing's freak show Butt has had to ensure he is in serious shape for Friday night.
"I have had to train him a bit differently because the public expectations of him are so high.
"He can't turn up, drop back off the gate and hope for lucky run in the straight just because he is fresh. He has to be put into the race because he is always going to be a hot favourite and have so many people pinning their hopes on him."
Nobody's hopes are pinned tighter to Lyell Creek than those of owner Graham Bruton and he wants the gelding's run to continue for more than just financial reasons.
Lyell Creek already holds the record for consecutive wins by a New Zealand trotter with 16 and now Bruton has one eye on the record for any New Zealand horse - Courage Under Fire's 24 victories.
"Of course I would love to get that record too but I haven't thought about it too much. Bruty has mentioned it a couple of times and I think he is pretty keen on it."
Butt's focus is different though with the young trainer showing why he has already scaled to the top of his profession.
"Winning the Dominion again is the aim but the start of this season is about getting him trotting dead right out of the gate and on the bends.
"He will have to be trotting perfectly to win any of those big races we are aiming at in the Northern Hemisphere next year."
On Friday night though such daring dreams and rich rewards will be a world away. There will just be a raw-boned trotter, hardly out of his winter coat, beating up on some old foes for $12,220.
He might just be beating them up a little more than last season.
Racing: Creek the Freak back and better than ever
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