By MICHAEL GUERIN
Trainer Tim But has bad news and really bad news for the rivals of his champion trotter Lyell Creek.
The bad news is the freak is ready to trot a 1:55 mile rate at Cambridge tonight.
That may not be good enough to win a $25,000 bonus attached to the Flying Stakes, but it will definitely be good enough to win.
The bonus will be paid if the winner of tonight's 1700m sprint, the fifth leg of Pick Six, can trot faster than Mack Lobell's 1:54.6 world record mile rate for the distance.
Lyell Creek has already trotted a national record 1:55.6 mile at Ashburton this season and the Cambridge track is one of the few in New Zealand anywhere near as fast at Ashburton.
The rain that soaked Auckland yesterday missed Cambridge and if the conditions remain ideal by start time tonight, Butt says his brother Anthony, who drives Lyell Creek, may chase the record.
"If it was a perfect night and he trotted through the first 800m in 57 seconds then it may well be on," said Butt.
"But if everything is not 100 per cent right we will pull the plug on the record chase and just try and win, which I think he will do.
"He really is right back to his best now and trotting very cleanly.
"I was happy with his gate speed last week and I think tonight he will be able to leave the gate at his own pace and shouldn't have too many problems working his way to the front when Anthony wants to."
Lyell Creek's only defeat in the past 23 months came when he was beaten out of the mobile at Addington in November and got stirred up, choked and galloped late in the New Zealand Trotting Free-For-All.
"But that was a far different situation.
"He drew one on that occasion and had a very fast beginner in Sundowner Bay outside him.
"I don't expect him to get crossed tonight."
Lyell Creek chasing the bonus may be the key interest in the race as the barrier draw all but ended the winning hopes of his arch-rival Mountain Gold.
He has drawn outside the champ at barrier seven and while he probably has more gate speed that Lyell Creek he probably won't have enough to cross to the front.
"It is going to be very hard for us from the draws because you can't really expect to sit outside Lyell Creek and beat him," said Mountain's Gold's trainer Barry Purdon.
"He went great sitting outside him when running second last week and while he is very well in himself I think we have our work cut out."
So Lyell Creek being on top of his game is the bad news for his rivals. Here is the really bad news.
The champ is now going to defend his Interdominion Trotters title.
Lyell Creek was going to miss the Brisbane series in late April-early May so he could chase the world's biggest races in the Northern Hemisphere.
But an ultimatum from United States trotting officials will force him to contest the series.
Lyell Creek is being aimed at the $US1 million Breeders Crown at the Meadowlands in July but will not be invited to the race unless he wins the Interdominion Grand Final.
"The Breeders Crown is his first big aim and if we have to win in Brisbane to get in then I suppose we are off to Brisbane," said Butt.
"I don't think the Brisbane series is going to be ideal because he will be off a tough handicap and the first heat is only a sprint, so I can see him possibly getting beaten in the heats.
"Giving away big starts to horses like Mountain Gold, Sundon's Way and Take A Moment in Brisbane won't be easy and we may have to try and peak him for the Grand Final.
"But that is worth $A200,000 and of course it would be great to win it again."
The change of plans will come as a major blow to the connections of Lyell Creek's key rivals, many of whom had planned the second half of their seasons around Lyell Creek not being in Brisbane.
So dominant has the champ become that he may be the only New Zealand trotter heading to the rich Moonee Valley summer carnival next month, even though the series hosts two $A100,000 races, victory in which would make Lyell Creek New Zealand's first millionaire trotter.
Racing: News all bad for champ's rivals
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