KEY POINTS:
Steven Reid doesn't care about the money attached to today's New Zealand Free-For-All at Addington - he wants redemption.
The Pukekohe horseman blames himself for stable star Monkey King's narrow defeat in the New Zealand Cup on Tuesday when the speed freak went down to Flashing Red.
Reid
is painfully honest when assessing his drive.
"I stuffed up and cost him the race, simple as that," he says.
"It was all going perfectly until the 600m mark when I got pushed out and then I panicked and sent him when I should have just sat.
"I pulled the plugs too early and hit the front too soon and then he hit the wall at the 100m mark.
"If I had waited to go until the top of the straight he would have won."
Reid, who has only been driving at the top level for a year, says he hopes the experience will make him a better, and more determined driver, in the future.
And he hopes that starts in the $150,000 free-for-all early evening tonight.
Most of the Cup field return but for a far different race, with a mobile start and a lap less of the 1200m track, making the race far less suitable for Cup hero Flashing Red.
Monkey King faces a difficult task from a second line draw but with stayers like Flashing Red and Sly Flyin also back there, the pressure looks sure to come, potentially setting up the race for a swooper.
And no pacer in New Zealand swoops faster than Monkey King.
"He has come through the Cup well so all he needs is the pace on and a fair crack at them," said Reid.
He rates stablemate Baileys Dream as equally as good a chance after his fighting seventh in the Cup.
"He worked to sit parked and then pulled hard and was still not that far away at the finish.
"From his draw [five] I think he can go forward and lead and that will make him very hard to beat."
The enigma for punters is Changeover, who was luckless when fourth in the Cup after losing momentum when Classic Cullen stopped.
Driver David Butcher says the 4-year-old may have won had it not been for that incident but his task will be just as hard today because he has to start from the outside of the front line. "He has come through the race well though, so all we need is some luck to get into the race," said trainer Geoff Small.
Then there is the Butt-Anderson trio of Flashing Red, Tribute and Foreal.
Flashing Red was unbelievable in the Cup but faces a far trickier assignment today and Foreal may actually be their best chance.
She missed away in the Cup but will relish the mobile today and from the ace could get the perfect run.
"All three of them are well and have good chances for different reasons," said trainer Tim Butt.
"Flashing Red is remarkable because he came through the race in awesome shape," said Butt.
"But we all know he isn't quite as good over the shorter trips."
"Tribute is flying at the moment and was great in the Cup, while Foreal will love the mobile. It should be a great race."
Cup replay
* Most of the New Zealand Cup combatants clash again in the $150,000 NZ Free-For-All.
* Steven Reid sees the race as a chance to make up for Monkey King's second in the Cup.
* The barrier draws favour Baileys Dream and Foreal.
* Stig will be a warm favourite in the Trotting Free-For-All.