By MICHAEL GUERIN
MELBOURNE - It wasn't a very warm welcome back to Australia for Tim Butt yesterday.
The trainer of Lyell Creek was stunned by the handicaps for the Interdominion Trotting Championships - and not because the champ received 55m.
Butt expected that sort of handicap and a decision on whether to go to Brisbane for the series in April will be made this week.
But while owner Graham Bruton and co-owner and driver Anthony Butt have been suggesting Lyell Creek may not head to Brisbane because of the tough handicap, it seems almost certain he will race in the series.
"It will be a very tough series and while I think we will go to the series I know for sure he can't win his first heat," said Butt.
The first heat of the series is over 2138m, making a 55m handicap almost impossible.
"We know he will lose that heat because he simply won't have a chance to get close to the leaders before the race is over.
"But we will be heading there hoping to win the Grand Final. They have handicapped us out of the heats."
Lyell Creek's 55m handicap is far more realistic over the 3157m of the Grand Final which will be run on April 28.
Butt was hoping to have a sneaky in the series in Take A Moment, who he was sure would get the front mark. But those hopes were blown away yesterday as Take A Moment got a 20m handicap.
"That has stunned me. I am not happy about that at all," said Butt. "They have handicapped him on his potential."
Butt has a point as Take A Moment, while the rising star of New Zealand trotting, has never won an open class race, yet has the same handicap as Sundowner Bay, a dual Interdom heat winner
The big winner is Last Sunset, who will be second favourite to Lyell Creek in this Saturday's Australasian Trotting Championships yet is still off the front in the Interdominions.
The Queensland Harness Racing Board also released the rankings for the Interdominion Pacing Champs and while there were few surprises New Zealand form has been downplayed by the handicapper.
While the big players are already in, borderline cases include the Barry Purdon-trained Pic Me Pockets.
The Franklin Cup winner has been ranked 47th behind a bunch of battling Queenslanders. Yet Pocket Me, whose New Zealand form is overall no more impressive than Pic Me Pockets, is ranked 12th.
Queensland bookmaker Brad Jones reacted by drifting Lyell Creek to $2.50 for the Trotting Champs while Shakamaker and Atitagain share $5.50 favouritism for the Pacing Champs with Yulestar at $6.
Racing: Handicaps make Interdoms almost a mission impossible
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