Human beings, at least those that find inspiration and solace from sporting excellence, naturally tend to place extraordinary expectations upon champions of any athletic pursuit.

The reasons for this are far more profound than most would consider.

Vulnerable and finite as we are, some subconscious part of us yearns and wishes for infinite invincibility.

The Marvel movie franchise proves as much each and every year.

Tomorrow night, champion pacer Lochinvar Art returns to racing for the first time since what was framed as a ‘failed’ summer sortie– which also, coincidentally, acted as a comeback campaign in and of itself.

Let’s be clear, Lochinvar Art, great as he is, isn’t Black Caviar or Rocky Marciano.

Unlike those sporting legends, he has tasted defeat. Many, many times.

Nevertheless, when at his best, the Goulburn Valley behemoth looked and felt utterly indestructible.

As a result, punters and pundits understandably expect to witness bottomless brilliance from him every time he competes.

This presumption is utterly unfair.

It’s also blatantly beautiful.

When he lines up at Tabcorp Park tomorrow evening, Lochinvar Art isn’t tackling Grand Circuit rivals or racing for immortality.

Yet plenty remains at stake.

First-up for six months, over Melton’s short-course 1720m trip, from the worst alley imaginable (11), ‘Arty’ has everything against him.

And, as sporting lovers, nothing could be more fabulous.

If, as his superstar reinsman Nathan Jack believes, Lochinvar Art simply outclasses his adversaries despite the enormous burdens in his path, something special within us suddenly comes to life.

That’s the gift of greatness; it salvages our souls.

Imagine, for a moment, that Lochinvar Art, despite his dearth of recent competition and remembering his myriad of injury issues, peels three-wide from the 800m mark and simply suffocates quality, race-fit rivals.

The My Lightning Blue Free For All in mid-August may not be the Victoria Cup or the Inter Dominion.

Despite all that, it may well be the rebirth of a champion and also a moment we’ll not soon forget.

The finicky, frenetic way perspectives change in racing never cease to amaze.

In last season’s Tatlow Stakes, blueblood gelding Beach Villa, a sibling to Poster Boy and Yankee Rockstar, started the $2.10 favourite in a race also featuring Catch A Wave and Interest Free, who hit the mobile paying $16.70.

Monster colt Khafaji was also slightly shorter than Interest Free in the same event and, previously, was slated by many as the star youngster of Emma Stewart’s juvenile crop.

Fast forward to Tabcorp Park tomorrow night and Interest Free (pictured) has been backed into red-figure favouritism tackling both Beach Villa and Khafaji.

If he leads the APG Gold Sovereign Final at Group 3 level, punters will very likely collect.

If he doesn’t, and he’s beaten, simply wait and watch for the tide to turn once more.

The opinions expressed in The Forum are those of the author and may not be attributed to or represent policies of Harness Racing Victoria, which is the state authority and owner of thetrots.com.au.