The Butcher brothers are back in Oamaru tomorrow and would not mind getting their Brothers In Arms driving series title back too.
The Cambridge-bred Butcher family had a stranglehold on the series from its inception as a father-and-son competition in 2009 when David Butcher and his son Zac won the series, held over several races at Oamaru.
The competition was changed to a brothers format in 2010, but that did not stop David Butcher, who teamed up with brother Philip to win before going back-to-back in 2011.
The Butchers were beaten last year by the Southland-bred pair of Clark and Ken Barron, who return to defend their title.
The Butchers and Barrons will be joined by Nathan and Matthew Williamson, Gerard and Leo O'Reilly and newcomers Craig and Chris Thornley, who replace Mark and Barry Purdon.
Dexter Dunn's commitments in Western Australia with Bit Of A Legend have forced organisers to create a new sibling pairing of Blair Orange and John Dunn, which was the source of some humour for Philip Butcher.
''What are they going to call themselves? Brothers from another mother?'' Butcher laughed.
Butcher said the competition generally came down to the quality of the horseflesh each driver was assigned.
''A lot of it is just luck of the draw,'' he said.
''We were lucky in the second year we won it. We were just consistently there [in the top half of the field]. David might have won [a race] but my best was probably a second.
''If you draw the good ones, it does make a big difference.''
The draw has been reasonably kind to the Butcher brothers. Franco Tyrone looks to be a good chance for Philip Butcher in race 2, while David has two nice types in Pyramid Monarch (race 3) and Major Moment (race 7).
Butcher enjoys the grass track in use at Oamaru tomorrow, as it provides a point of difference from the standard all-weather surface - and even some other grass tracks.
''It's a great grass track - I really enjoy it. You go up the top end and it drops down in to a hollow and you then run up a hill up around the bottom corner. It's a pretty cool track, really.''
Even if the opposition gets the better of the Butchers this year, Philip Butcher hopes there could be a double onslaught next year thanks to his two nephews.
''We're hoping next year that Zac and Ben Butcher will get in.''
Butcher was keen to team up with dual Jewels winner Charlemagne in the trot features this season, but the Earl gelding's trainer, Colin Butler, told Butcher the 6yr-old has gone amiss.
''He's just got a problem at the moment - he should have been in [tonight at Alexandra Park] against the good trotters.
''It would have been good to see where he is against the good ones but I think he's going to miss the whole Christmas racing.
''My guy would have had to step up a bit to compete with them, but he's always surprised me.''
