KEY POINTS:
History has not always been kind to the offspring of champion racemares.
Just don't expect to see Ardmore trainer Stephen McKee cracking under the weight of expectation surrounding Sunstrike's first race at Pukekohe today.
"There's not much more pressure than training her mother [Sunline]," reasoned a pragmatic McKee.
"And she's got to get beaten sooner or later; whether it's in her first start or later on."
So far at least, in the little McKee's done with the blueblood 2-year-old filly, the signs are there that lightning could strike twice.
With apprentice Sam Spratt in the saddle, Sunstrike surpassed expectations with an impressive 800m trials win on debut at Pukekohe on April 3.
That was something even her famous mum couldn't do.
The winner of 32 races and more than $12 million in stakes had three unplaced trials before the penny dropped.
"She [Sunstrike] is going to need this race for experience, but she did everything pretty well right in that trial," said McKee.
"Hopefully she's learned enough for her first race."
McKee and co-owners, father Trevor, and their Sunline partner Thayne Green, originally intended to give Sunstrike another trial before her race debut.
But the camp scrapped that idea because they didn't think the Rock of Gibraltar filly had much more to gain.
Sunline had four trial tune-ups before going undefeated in three starts at 2 years old, the first at Paeroa in May, 1998.
"They are starting their careers in a similar vein, but they are different types altogether," said McKee.
"Her mum would go like lightning from day one, but this filly is much more laid back.
"She doesn't show a lot at home, but she does show me that she has that bit extra".
If the rain doesn't ruin plans today, McKee said Sunstrike may back-up in the listed Northland Breeders Stakes at Ruakaka on July 14, the same race her mum won nine years earlier.
While most interest rests on McKee's well-related juvenile today, spare more than a passing thought for stablemate Little Einstein later in the card.
The last-start winner gives McKee a serious shot at staying in a premiership race he never expected to contest.
At best, McKee hoped for 45 winners in his first breakaway year from his long-standing partnership with father Trevor.
But before saddling Sunstrike today, McKee was just five adrift of the pacesetting Mark Walker with 67 solo victories.
Little Einstein jumps to the top of the handicap in race 10.
But McKee says the Centaine gelding has trained on well since a sub 1m 10s 1200m win against similar class at Avondale on Anzac Day.
