KEY POINTS:
The wonderful grey pacer pulled off the most remarkable performance of last season when he won Alexandra Park's greatest prize after having not raced for nearly three months.
And now the forgotten horse of open class pacing is attempting to climb the same mountain.
Mi Muchacho was among the nominations for the $400,000 Cup which closed on Monday but that doesn't make him a certain starter says trainer Richard Anderson.
The 6-year-old has not raced since October, with recurring hoof problems just one ailment to keep him away from the track.
"I have been thrilled with the way he had worked on occasion but he always pulls up sore a few days later," said Anderson.
"So it has been very hard to get the right sort of work into him.
"I have got a few things left to try, like swimming him and I think we can still make it to the race.
"Fitness-wise I think he is about the same as he was this far out from last season's Cup."
Anderson hopes to race Mi Muchacho at Alexandra Park on February 23 to gauge his fitness for the cup two weeks later.
While his record at Alexandra Park is incredible he faces a tougher task this season than last as the field will not only contain some of the best open class pacers in the country but superstar 4-year-olds Pay Me Christian, Monkey King and Awesome Armbro.
They are joined in the nominations by Sly Flyin and Alta Serena, stablemates Foreal, Tribute and The Flyin Doctor as well as New Zealand Cup winner Flashing Red and Victorian pacer Reba Rajah.
Fixed odds betting in the cup, which is a 2700m mobile, will open tomorrow.
Nominations for the $200,000 Woodlands Stud Great Northern Derby also closed on Monday, with Australian hero Lombo Pocket Watch among the contenders.
He will be joined by stablemate Lombo Mandingo and they challenge the strong local contingent headed by Changeover, Fergiemack, Gotta Go Cullen, Montecito and St Barts.
The latter three clash at Alexandra Park on Friday night.
* Anthony Butt is free to drive in Sunday's Hunter Cup.
The Canterbury horseman has appealed the two-week suspension he was handed in last Saturday's Ballarat Cup and has been granted a stay of proceedings.
He now has to choose between Foreal and stablemate Tribute for the A$500,000 ($567,000) race.
He may be swayed toward Foreal after the glamour mate drew barrier two, while Tribute will start from the outside of the second line.
Fellow Kiwi pacer Winforu drew wide on the front line at barrier six, with Smooth Crusa a loose favourite at $5.50 after drawing barrier three in the Hunter Cup.
The other New Zealand entrant, Mighty Cullen, missed a start.
