KEY POINTS:
The scars of battles lost could help Flashing Red win another one at Alexandra Park tonight.
Pacing's greatest warrior returns to New Zealand for the $15,000 free-for-all, a lead-up race to the March 9 Auckland Trotting Cup.
While a mobile 2200m is hardly Flashing Red's ideal race he will be back in the colours of Tim Butt and Phil Anderson, who transformed him into a winning machine last spring.
That culminated in a New Zealand Cup victory in November, at which stage Flashing Red was the most feared pacer in New Zealand.
Since then he has been on a rollercoaster ride with two Australian trainers but one which has left him with a key weapon for tonight's race - race fitness.
Flashing Red has been giving his all - and losing - in races like the Hunter and Ballarat Cups in the last month.
But that means he will be far fitter than his main rivals tonight: Sly Flyin, Napoleon and Mi Muchacho.
Sly Flyin has raced only once in three months, Napoleon once in seven weeks and Mi Muchacho hasn't seen the racetrack since October.
With that trio being aimed at the Auckland Cup they are hardly going to want to start their campaigns by getting into a war with a fully fit Flashing Red.
Which means the veteran could intimidate his way into the winner's circle.
"We will definitely be trying to use his fitness," said co-trainer Butt. "We know how tough he is and some of these others horses are just starting back so I think he will have an edge on them.
"A hard race won't bother him so I'd be happy to see him go hard all the way."
Butt was not concerned about the right-handed Alexandra Park track, even though Flashing Red didn't seem entirely comfortable when he last raced here at the 2005 Interdominions.
If horses like Sly Flyin or Mi Muchacho were fully fit their drivers might be keen to take Flashing Red on over the shorter distance - but that seems unlikely tonight.
Mi Muchaco has done some freakish things when fit in the past but trainer Richard Anderson is cautious.
"He has really come right physically in the last week and I was happy with how he worked last Friday," said Anderson. "But I think he might need a run or two before the Auckland Cup."
The great grey will have a new driver tonight, with Todd Mitchell taking over from Peter Ferguson, who is committed to Waitfornoone for the Cup.
Napoleon loves Alexandra Park and sprint racing, but his best performances over the summer were when driven off the pace, a scenario under which he could win tonight.
So that leaves possibly only Awesome Armbro, from the super-aggressive Geoff Small stable, as a likely contender to park out Flashing Red should the latter come looking for the front. "It is possible but I haven't spoken to David (Butcher, driver) about tactics yet," said Small.
An outstanding 4-year-old and good front runner, Awesome Armbro could fight his way into the Auckland Cup with victory tonight.
While the return of Flashing Red to the stable colours will be the highlight for Butt and Anderson tonight, they are tipping Moment Of Truth as their best winning chance.
The exciting 4-year-old takes on the queen of Alexandra Park, Our Sunny Whiz, in the first highlight of the night, race five.
Off level marks Our Sunny Whiz would have too much speed and experience for Moment Of Truth but the latter has a 40m head start.
"I think if he does things right he will win," said Butt. "He broke 57sec for his last 800m at the trials recently and is a very good trotter."
All three Butt-Anderson runners tonight - the other being Smart Seeker - will be driven by Mark Jones with regular reinsman Anthony Butt suspended.
"I think Smart Seeker is an each-way chance as well," suggested Butt.
