KEY POINTS:
Trainer Tim Butt could be forgiven for taking his eyes off stable hopes Foreal and Tribute for just a second during tomorrow's A$500,000 Hunter Cup.
Because somewhere else in the high-class field will be Flashing Red, the pacer who gave Butt his biggest win in harness racing and
is about to complete a full circle from friend to foe to friend again.
Butt has confirmed to the Weekend Herald he will again take over the training of Flashing Red straight after tomorrow's great race at Moonee Valley in Melbourne.
And that will mean the veteran pacer, who won this season's New Zealand Cup, will be back in his colours for next month's Auckland Cup at Alexandra Park.
And that news is certain to be behind the $2500 bet at $15 the TAB took on Thursday for Flashing Red to win the Auckland Cup.
Butt and training partner Phil Anderson transformed Flashing Red from Grand Circuit journeyman into a pacing machine over the spring and he crushed New Zealand's best in the New Zealand Cup.
He then returned to former trainer Stu Hunter, who was subsequently disqualified from training after Flashing Red returned a high bicarbonate reading during last month's Interdominions.
Since then, Victorian horseman Geoff Webster has trained Flashing Red but after tomorrow's race he will return to Butt's care.
"We are thrilled to get him back because he is a great old horse and we loved having him the first time around," said Butt.
"He will join Foreal in our Auckland Cup assault and then head south for the Easter Cup. From what they are saying he will then stay with us until he is retired."
That gives Butt plenty to concentrate on tomorrow, as Foreal and Tribute are rated two of the serious winning chances in one of the most even Hunter Cups in the last decade.
Tribute will be driven by Tony Herlihy and will only need some luck from his second-line draw to be the horse to beat, as he should thrive on the distance and relentless racing style which usually prevails in the Hunter.
But Foreal needs something else - a clean start. She has never raced from a stand and blew one of her only two trials from behind the tapes.
"That is why I asked Ants [Anthony Butt] to drive her because I think she has more show of going away for somebody who knows her," admitted Tim Butt.
"I think she will step away because she handled it well in training on Wednesday and if she does, she would be our top chance."
The Butt pair and a rejuvenated Winforu give New Zealand three chances in the race, with Winforu looking far more capable of handling the 3075m this season than he did when fifth in the race last season.
He has thrilled trainer Geoff Small with the way he has progressed since turning his season around in the Interdominions and if he can reach the lead, he will take a lot of catching.
The Australian defence of the race has been set back by the re-handicapping of in-form local Sting Lika Bee, who will have to start off the 10m mark.
He will be joined there by Robin Hood, who has been terrible in his last two starts, and Flashing Red.
The latter looked on his way back to his best when second to Sting Lika Bee in the Ballarat Cup last Saturday and may be capable of overcoming the curse of handicapped runners in the Hunter Cup.
The best Australian chance should be Smooth Cruza, who has recently joined the Lance Justice stable.
In the hunt
* New Zealand has three starters in the A$500,000 Hunter Cup tomorrow.
* All are winning chances, with Tribute perhaps the best hope.
* New Zealand Cup hero Flashing Red is returning to Auckland after the race.