The stakes have rarely been higher for horses like Flaming Flutter who are jostling for a Trots Country Cup, with the coveted race prizes also a potential golden ticket to December's Inter Dominion.
Geoff Webster's much-loved nine-year-old make his long-awaited return in tonight's 3SH Swan Hill Pacing Cup, his first hit-out in Victoria in more than 12 months.
The Bannockburn trainer told Trots Talk hosts Michael Howard and Nims Azoor he was optimistic that Flaming Flutter, who placed in the 2015 and 2016 Inter Dominions, could challenge after a disappointing campaign at the start of this year.
"He had a real bad back problem up in Sydney and we didn't diagnose it until late on when he got home," Webster said.
"He's been on water walkers and swimming and all sorts of things to rectify it and - touch wood - so far I am really really happy with him and looking forward to this preparation."
Tonight's 3SH Swan Hill Pacing Cup will be a big first step, when he will go up against the likes of front runner Menin Gate and Im The Boss, who is 39 spots ahead of Flaming Fluttuer in the latest TAB Inter Dominion rankings.
"We're running out of time (to qualify for ID18), but he's worked so well at home I haven't even bothered taking him to trials this time around, which is unusual for an old horse like me who you would probably think needs the trials," Webster said.
"We will see how we go tonight. He's got to do something in the next three or four weeks anyway because he's in the 50s as far as rankings go for the Inter Dominion and he's got to prove his point to get into the fields."
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