Racing: Southern visitors hoping for luck

David Butt

David Butt's cup week can only get better.

The Canterbury horseman took a gamble bringing Jackson Browne north for tonight's $300,000 Cup at Alexandra Park, with the talented pacer assessed as only an eight-win horse.

The chances of that gamble paying any dividends reduced on Monday when Jackson Browne drew the second line, a severe blow meaning he will now have to give away a start to horses $50 shorter than him in the market.

And if Butt was looking for a confidence boost he didn't find it at Alexandra Park on Tuesday.

He took Jackson Browne to the track for his first look and was not happy with his performance.

"He hung a bit and didn't handle it all that well," said Butt.

"There are things we can work on before the race but it was hardly ideal. Still, we are here now and we are going to do our best and hope for some luck."

While his case may look hopeless, Jackson Browne is following in the hoofprints of former stablemate Oscar Wild, who ran in the cup as a huge outsider racing out of his grade.

That didn't stop him from producing a career-best performance to finish second to champion pacer Elsu, beating home this season's first Auckland Cup winner Howard Bromac.

And Butt is due some Alexandra Park luck.

Last time he drove in a group one race he was travelling well in the trail on the home turn with Pay Me Christian in the December's Great Northern Derby before being checked out of the race.