By Michael Guerin
Higher Power may not be quite as good as driver Zachary Butcher’s mate but that still might be good enough to win at Alexandra Park tonight.
The three-year-old gets barrier 1 in the $35,000 TAB Metro Trotters Final, a race matched by an identical race for the pacers tonight to spice up the last Alexandra Park meeting before winter.
Higher Power was too good for the older horses after leading last Friday, once again showing the benefits of Derby and age group performers dropping back into the grades.
Not that Butcher drove Higher Power in those elite races as he partners his stablemate and our best three-year-old trotter Meant To Be.
“Barry and Scotty (trainers) think there isn’t much between them and they are right but I have to rate Meant To Be higher because he is my mate,” smiles Butcher.
“But I was impressed driving this horse last week and if he races up to that he is the one to beat.
“Tony’s horse (Youneverknow) was good winning his heat too and he is the one we have to beat.”
There’s not between the two in the market with Higher Power at $2.40 and Youneverknow at $2.60.
Butcher says the early fireworks could decide the race.
“Higher Power has been a little funny a couple of times at the start and galloped a couple of starts ago drawn down low.
“I think he will be okay but that start will obviously determine whether he can lead or not.”
The two three-year-olds should really dominate the race if they behave as it is hard to see any of their rivals trotting past both of them should they be handy.
But there is enough depth into the contest to suggest it will be a hot form reference in the weeks ahead.
Butcher has plenty of time for South Side Story, his drive in the $35,000 TAB Pacers Metro Final but says his best work is still in front of him.
“He is a lovely horse but the penny is still to drop for him so he will keep getting better,” he says.
“That is quite a good field and I drove Carrera Hombre who was quite unlucky last week when I got held up so he will be hard to beat from the ace.”
Later in the night Iron Love looks one of the better best when well suited by the mobile trot after beating most of its rivals tonight, including Halberg and Butcher last start.
