By MICHAEL GUERIN
For Todd MacFarlane the compensation could be worth a lot more than the main prize.
The South Auckland horseman has been one of the big movers in the northern harness ranks in the last year, thanks mainly to stable star Mac De Stroyer.
But last Saturday night Mac De Stroyer missed out on Four-Year-Old Pacer of the Year honours for last season, finishing second in voting to glamour horse Courage Under Fire.
MacFarlane, while biased, makes a good case that the result should have been different.
"My horse won two group races and paced a 1:54 mile while we didn't see the best of Courage Under Fire.
"But because he is a champion and a glamour horse I always knew he would beat Mac for the title."
MacFarlane is confident of some compensation tonight though when MacPherson and Lesdale Kid get a shot at $12,000 stakes as the Auckland Trotting Club hosts another of its successful heat and final formats.
Both horses appear to give MacFarlane a chance at something a little more tangible than an award.
MacPherson has been the find of the northern winter trotting ranks, showing high speed to win his last three races after patient drives from MacFarlane.
His dramatic improvement sees him step back to a 30m handicap in tonight's third leg of Pick Six but that shouldn't be enough to stop him making it four on end.
"The way he has been trotting he has to be the one to beat," says his trainer.
"He has always shown a little ability but he is a lot more confident in himself now, thanks in no small way to the shoeing job done by our farrier Steve Butler, as well as some physiotherapy.
"That means he is not striking himself when he trots anymore and he is really finding the line in his races."
MacPherson appears to be at his best when driven for one sprint, to which tonight's handicap will lend itself.
While he will start favourite, there could be more value about Lesdale Kid in the final event which brings together a very strong class one field.
Lesdale Kid resumed with a huge second last week and has the luxury of the first good draw of his career tonight, leaving MacFarlane wondering whether he has the ringcraft to take a handy position early.
"I think he should come off the gate all right and I would like to end up trailing a horse like J D's Atom but there is also some gate speed inside us.
"But regardless of how things go at the start he should settle handy and with improvement on last week he could be a good each way chance."
MacFarlane will start the night with a slightly rougher chance in Kopeopeo Kid in the first race and the inexperienced pacer will be suited by a big drop in class.
"He is very honest and keep on going so these conditions should suit." MacFarlane's development in the tough northern training environment can be judged by his stable numbers, with a team of 20 now headed by Mac De Stroyer.
"He will goes to the trials in a couple of weeks and will race here next month trying to get that one win he needs for a New Zealand Cup start," he said.
While MacFarlane is one of the key men to follow tonight the other should be Ray Norton, whose strong winter form was capped by two winners last week.
Both the richly-bred Versace in race six and J D's Atom in the last should be hard to catch from good draws.
Versace beat his main rivals tonight while J D's Atom has taken a long time to live up to his breeding but was gutsy when holding out Champagne Party last week.
Tonight also sees the end of Alexandra Park winter league, with Timmo a hot pot in the trotting final and the Derek Balle/Ian Small stable likely to dominate the pacing final with Sun Chef and Benjie Boy.
Racing: Mac to bring home compo
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