KEY POINTS:
Trainer Tim Butt can be forgiven for feeling a slight pang of sadness when the field rolls onto the Addington track for the first open class race of the harness season tonight.
Because the champion trainer knows one horse who should be in the $20,000 feature isn't.
Butt lost last season's Easter Cup winner Tuherbs last Friday after the exciting pacer had to be destroyed.
A problem child most of his career, Tuherbs went mysteriously lame after winning the Easter Cup and following exhaustive tests vets were left with no choice but to perform exploratory surgery last week.
They found a hind joint completely devoid of cartridge, meaning Tuherbs could never race again and would always walk with discomfort.
"It is not fair to leave a horse sore for the rest of his life so he was humanely destroyed," said Butt.
"It was a hell of a shame and when I think back that he had that problem most of his life and was able to win a race like the Easter Cup ... it shows what a great horse he could have been."
While Tuherbs is gone and stablemate Foreal is campaigning in the north, Butt and trainer partner Phil Anderson still have Flashing Red and Tribute in tonight's 2600m mobile.
And while that would seem a powerful combination, Butt warns both could need the race. "They are very well and I couldn't be happier at this stage, but they are horses who need racing," he said.
"I am not saying they won't win, but I think a horse like Baileys Dream could be too sharp and maybe too race-fit for them."
Flashing Red destroyed his opponents in the south last season but is a year older and was caught flat-footed at the trials last week. That prompted Butt to suggest a change from his usual aggressive driving tactics would be pointless.
"He has to go forward in his races because he doesn't have the speed of some of the others," he said. "But even if he gets the front, I think horses like Classic Cullen or Baileys Dream might outsprint him."
Butt said Tribute usually needs racing to come to hand an,d even after two recent trials wins, he was not expecting him to win tonight. The race looks ideal for Baileys Dream, who has the huge advantages of fitness and gate speed, meaning driver Ricky May can make his own luck.
He has worked well since his first-up Rangiora win in track record time and looks the best bet tonight.
As for Butt, he says his best winning chance at tonight's meeting is squaregaiter Mountbatten, who won well at Addington last time out.
