Racing: Butt may be forced to hand over reins

Genius could have a change of driver on Saturday

Tony Herlihy could be the big winner if Anthony Butt is a big loser in Melbourne today.

Champion South Island reinsman Butt has appealed against a four week suspension handed down at Ballarat last Saturday and his hearing will be held in Melbourne this morning.

If Butt gets the suspension squashed or reduced to a fine he can fulfil his outstanding bookings at Moonee Valley on Saturday night.

If he doesn't then Herlihy may be asked to step into the breach.

Butt is declared to drive Genius in a heat of the Interdominions, Tuherbs in the A$125,000 ($137,000) Victoria Derby and Foreal in the A$20,000 Angelique Cup.

All three were dramatic and expensive failures last week but can bounce back this Saturday according to their regular reinsman.

"It is hard to turn things around in a week at this level but they are all good enough to do it," said Butt.

"Foreal simply got too stirred up at Harold Park and then pulled too hard but I think it was just one of those things," said Butt.

"She looks to have a fair bit of class on many of her rivals this week."

The problem facing Genius is he is now on the unruly starting position after checking three rivals at the start of last week's Interdominion heat.

"That obviously won't help but he has 3050 metres to overcome it," said Butt.

"It doesn't look an overly strong heat and he needs good points to make the final so he has to be handy at some stage."

Tuherbs is even a bigger enigma than the other two Butt stars. He was a sensational trialist two weeks ago but faded to fourth in his heat of the Victoria Derby last week.

That came after Butt launched him in a 27.5 second middle 400m section of the race in his first start for three months. But he still performed below his best. "He comes into barrier four in the Derby but there are very good horses inside him so he will need luck," he said.

"But he is good enough to upset them. When he does everything right he is a very good horse."

Butt is hopeful of getting off his suspension today and says no driver has been lined up to take his place if he doesn't.

"We aren't thinking that far ahead but there are plenty of good drivers who will be here who can drive them.

"But it would be hard to go past Tony [Herlihy]. He has driven Genius before and is a great driver so maybe he will get the call up.

"But at this stage I am still hoping to be there."

If Herlihy did drive Genius he would almost certainly not be able to partner him in the final a week later as he is committed to Delft, who races in a different heat on Saturday.

Even after winning both Interdominion heats last Saturday the Kiwis are not the favourites this week.

Sammy Do Good is a $2.25 favourite in Australia for the first heat while A Touch Of Flair is a $2 chance in the second leg, remarkably short for a horse of any class off a 10m handicap in an Interdominion heat.