Zachary not butchered

It is not often punters see a new name among the big gun drivers at Alexandra Park on a Friday night but they will tonight.

But the more serious-sounding Zachary Butcher will bring the same huge talent to the sulky he has for the last 10 years as happy-go-lucky Zac Butcher.

With 582 career successes in NZ, Butcher is well on his way to becoming one of our great reinsmen.

“We were out as a family recently and Mum said she had always meant for me to be called by my real name, Zachary, and not Zac but it just got shortened when I got into the racing game,” explains Butcher.

Butcher hold key hands in two of tonight’s main races, the Sires’ Stakes heat with Mach Shard and the handicap pace with New Zealand Cup contender Jack’s Legend but he expects vastly different runs.

“Jack’s Legend is going great but I can’t see how he got handicapped 20m from winning last start and it makes it nearly impossible over 2200m,” he says.

“But Mach Shard has a good draw and some gate speed so he will be handy over 1700m.”

Mach Shard gets his chance tonight, especially with Breeders Crown winner King Of Swing drawn the second line over the sprint trip.

Add in Recco Lover, South Beach Arden and American Brave and the heat has real depth, with the latter and Mach Shard the pair who need the most prominent placings to guarantee a start in the $200,000 final at Addington on Cup day.