By MICHAEL GUERIN
BRISBANE - Tim Butt is a walking encyclopedia on open class trotters.
For the last two years he has dominated that scene like no trainer before, with the greatest trotter New Zealand has produced, Lyell Creek.
He has seen every major open class trotting race on both sides of the Tasman enough times he could repeat the commentaries. He knows the strengths and the weaknesses of those who have been humbled by The Freak. For two years the battle ground of open class trotting has been Butt's home.
So when Butt says Take A Moment is a serious chance to beating red hot favourite Last Sunset in tonight's $A200,000 Interdominion Trotting Grand Final you had better listen.
Two effortless heat wins coupled with his front line handicap have Last Sunset being rated unbeatable by many in tonight's 3157m classic at Albion Park in Brisbane.
The most likely scenario is Last Sunset working his way to the lead then rolling along at a tempo which makes it hard for those at the back of the field - his only dangers - to get close enough to challenge him without spending too much energy.
Last Sunset has a champion trainer, the best driver and should simply just win.
That is why he is the $2 favourite, ahead of Take A Moment at $4 and Mountain Gold at $5.
But Tim Butt doesn't quite see it that way.
"I think Take A Moment is the second best trotter in New Zealand behind Lyell Creek and he can win this," said Butt.
"A lot of people were disappointed with him on the first night but I though he went great, He trotted his last 1600m in 1:57 for sixth but the most important thing is he is a lot better now.
"We made a few little changes to his gear and his shoes for Tuesday night and he was a lot better then. But he has improved even further.
"He took a while to settle in when he got here but he is absolutely perfect now. I couldn't be happier with him."
So Butt has got the horse, has he got the tactics?
Clearly the worst handicapped horse in the series from his 20m mark, Take A Moment will settle a long way off the favourite with some pretty average horses between them.
The plan is simple.
"I want to see him get around them in the middle stages and then be parked at the bell. From there he can outstay Last Sunset." That might sound a little arrogant considering Take A Moment has never beaten Last Sunset but Tim Butt and arrogance are strangers. He knows his horse, he knows his rivals and he knows about winning Interdominion Trotting Grand Finals.
Outside the big two the only other realistic winning hope is Mountain Gold.
He was unbelievable on the first night but not so sharp on the second.
He is undoubtedly the fastest horse in the series and if Last Sunset and Take A Moment get stuck into each other over the last lap then he could be the giant killer.
But he faces even more possible traffic problems than Take A Moment from his 30m handicap and his detractors believe he will not enjoy a gutbusting 3187m, which is what will stand in front of him from his backmark.
His legendary trainer Barry Purdon disagrees.
"He won a Rowe Cup over 3200m on a wet track and it doesn't get any harder than that," said Purdon.
"He is trotting well and he can win but Last Sunset is going to be a hard horse to give a 30m start to. The tactics and luck in the running will be crucial."
Outside the favourites Special Force and Eastnor Lad increase the chances of a New Zealand trifecta in a race the Australians haven't won since 1988.
That won't change tonight.
Racing: Take A Moment's time near
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