KEY POINTS:
A slight fitness concern may be all that is stopping Mountbatten from being the best handicapped trotter of the season at Addington tonight.
The speed machine returns to racing in the main trot of an awesome race night and the unusual conditions of the 2600m event could hardly be more perfect.
Mountbatten will start off the front - just a few starts ago he won Addington's richest trot, the group one $150,000 Dominion Handicap.
That means Mountbatten will be getting a 20m start from a battling 13-year-old like Major Decision, and even a 10m start from arch-rival Houdini Star.
And that's a stunning luxury considering that when the Rowe Cup is held in May Mountbatten will be the only horse off the 10m backmark.
Driver Anthony Butt, a keen student of form, realises the front line is an incredible advantage for Mountbatten but stops short of declaring him a good thing.
"Really, we couldn't ask for a better kick-off point for him," said Butt.
"But I do think he will improve with the run because he has bigger aims down the track."
Mounbatten galloped away in a trial last week but his driver says that is not a concern tonight.
"He can do that when he is fresh but he has never galloped away for me in a race."
Because tonight's race is worth just $14,000, few drivers will be sending their charges on searching missions with so many bigger races just around the corner.
And that could see Houdini Star - who may well be New Zealand's best trotter now One Over Kenny has gone - driven conservatively.
His trainer-driver John Hay is renowned for setting his horses for the best races and even though Houdini Star has looked very sharp at recent workouts he, like Mountbatten, lacks race fitness.
"They are the two best horses in the race and I think Houdini Star might even be the best trotter in the country," said Butt. "But all these really good horses will improve with the run this week."
Butt will also partner Tribute, who looks the upset hope in tonight's $50,000 pacing free-for-all.
The rugged little pacer has drawn the ace and should sit close to the pace on the markers in what could be a very tactical race.
If the speed is on he will be prepared for a dogfight and his $14 fixed-odds quote is generous in a race that also features Monkey King, Baileys Dream, Classic Cullen, Awesome Armbro and Bondy.
On a night with so many great races the feature may be the 4-year-old trot, which brings together many of the best of that age group in New Zealand.
While it is an even crop with good depth, last season's Harness Jewels winner Springbank Richard looks to have the elusive X-factor.
He thrashed mediocre opponents on his season debut two weeks and is rated a potential champion by his trainer Phil Williamson, the man who also prepared One Over Kenny and Allegro Agitato. The compressed handicaps mean Springbank Richard will need to be on his best behaviour because any mistakes will be harshly punished.
Punters who enjoy multi, or all-up, betting appear to have several anchors tonight in Auckland Reactor, Sir Clive and possibly Goldie Blue, who Butt will drive in race three.
"He is a fast beginner and he should win this," he adds.
One of the best each-way bets on the night could be Bad All Over in the last race.
He had a torrid trip last start but is better drawn tonight and has a huge edge in race fitness.
HOT PROGRAMME
* The battle for the vacant title of New Zealand's best trotter starts at Addington tonight.
* Dominion Handicap winner Mountbatten has a handicap edge over arch-rival Houdini Star.
* Tribute looks a good each-way bet in the pacing free-for-all, which features three northern stars.
* Auckland Reactor and Sir Clive give the Purdon-Payne stable two hot favourites tonight.
