Racing: Top guns in sixth face-off

There might not be too much riding on the outcome, but tonight's meeting of Badlands Bute and Baileys Dream in the Elsu Classic Prelude is nonetheless intriguing.

The pair of gun 3-year-olds have had five career meetings, with Baileys Dream enjoying a 3-2 edge. Any bragging rights for Bailey, however, are tempered by the fact that Badlands Bute's two victories over his rival came in the Great Northern and New Zealand Derbies, something that means Badlands Bute will almost certainly pick up the 3-year-old of the year award this month.

Indeed, Baileys Dream has the distinction of being one of the best horses in the country, and one of the highest earners, not to have won a group-one race.

Those numbers suggest that Baileys Dream's career so far has been as much about frustration as triumph, a sentiment borne out by his trainer Brendon Hill.

"He's won over $300,000 from only 11 starts, so he's picked up nearly $30,000 every time he's gone to the races," said Hill. "But he could easily have won another $200,000 or more if things had gone his way.

"It has been a bit disappointing at times, especially with his soreness."

Tonight's race will be Baileys Dream's first racenight appearance since finishing fourth in the New South Wales Derby in late April, though he did win a non-tote Breeders Crown Heat against two rivals last Friday.

"It was a really nice run last week," said Hill, who also drove the big son of Dream Away. "I sat last and came between them at the 400 metre mark. It was a good education for him because he was a bit funny behind the gate.

"He's a rising 4-year-old but he's still a big kid. What ringcraft he had he seems to have lost. It is a bit frustrating really.

"If all goes well he'll race in the Elsu Classic next Thursday then probably won't race again until the Breeders Crown semi-final on 16 August. He's not a horse that needs a lot of work.

"I'd say he's about 85 or 90 per cent right for Friday."

Badlands Bute, on the other hand, has all his main missions for the season behind him, having just returned from a trip to Australia in which he won the Gold Coast Derby and ran second in the Queensland Derby.

Co-trainers Robert Mitchell and Ray Green never had definite plans to race Badlands Bute tonight but were encouraged to do so after he thrived on the trip.

"We knew this race was on but we were pretty loose with our plans," said Green. "We thought we'd just wait and see how he came back.

"As it was he actually put on weight in transit and never missed a beat."

Badlands Bute finished last in a three-horse field at last weekend's workouts but Green says that shouldn't put punters off.

"He sat at the back and they went 2:42 in front. Maurice [McKendry, driver] didn't pull him out.

"The others had another agenda but we were pleased enough with how he went. We expect a pretty good run."

With Baileys Dream and Badlands Bute both possibly a touch short of their absolute best tonight, opportunities exist for horses slightly below their class, such as Mr Bojangles. Since winning in March Mr Bojangles has not served punters well, failing to win in six starts despite being favourite or second-favourite each time.

In many of those races, however, bad draws and fast times have hurt his chances and from a good draw this evening he is capable of winning.