Racing: Flying filly should be too good

Close enough should be good enough for Foreal to continue on her winning way at Forbury Park tonight.

New Zealand's best pacing filly returns to her old home track for tonight's heat of the Nevele R Fillies series in which she clashes with most of the best fillies in the South Island.

It will be the first time Foreal has raced in the South Island since November but her performances since will guarantee nobody has forgotten her.

In the last five months Foreal has won the Alexandra Park fillies triple crown - the Ladyship Stakes, Sires Stakes and Great Northern Oaks - before heading to Sydney where she won the New South Wales Oaks.

That last win was the best of her career as Foreal had gone into the race under a cloud after not settling in well in Sydney and struggling on the tight Harold Park track.

"What she did in Sydney was huge considering she wasn't at her best," said driver Anthony Butt.

"She is one of those horses who steps up to meet any challenge."

The challenge for Foreal tonight is that she will not be at her peak, having had a light work programme since returning from Sydney.

Butt says that should not matter.

"To be honest she won't be at her best but I think she will still be too good.

"She has drawn the front line and I'll be heading for the front and I don't think they are good enough to beat her if she gets there.

"I know there are some handy fillies in there but most of them have drawn the second line and over 1700m that is a big disadvantage."

Butt is confident Foreal is over the slight soreness problems which caused her to hang badly in the first of her three Sydney starts in February.

"She seems great and I worked her on Tuesday morning and couldn't have been happier."

Meanwhile, Butt's two champion trotters Lyell Creek and Take A Moment will be returning to Alexandra Park next month to chase another Rowe Cup.

Between them the pair have won the last five Rowe Cups but both failed in last Friday's Interdominion Trotting Final.

"It was a strange race. Take A Moment blew out and Lyell Creek never got into the race," said Butt.

"They have come through it well though and they will definitely be back for the Rowe."

The stable's open class pacing star Mister D G will not be seen again this season after pulling up sore following his win in last Friday's Interdominion consolation.

"He has had a hard season and is feeling the wear and tear so he can have a break now and get ready for next season."

The stable have also taken over the training of exciting three-year-old trotter George Castleton, who won during the Interdominion carnival. He was originally under offer to stable clients but the sale did not go through so owner-trainer Warren Taylor sent George Castleton the Butt brothers to be trained for the New Zealand Trotting Derby.

Real deal

* Foreal returns to race at Forbury Park tonight.

* The tiny filly has won four major races already this season.

* She is expected to lead and be the one to beat in tonight's Nevele R fillies heat.

* Her champion stablemates Lyell Creek and Take A Moment will return to Auckland next month to chase another Rowe Cup.