KEY POINTS:
Tony Herlihy isn't letting a harsh 20m backmark for stable star Sly Flyin perturb him heading into Saturday night's $100,000 Easter Cup.
Sly Flyin, who hasn't won a staying race worth more than $35,000 in his life yet, has been handed the backmark in the 3200m event after winning the lead-up race last Friday.
But rather than complaining about the handicap Herlihy is trying to concentrate on its positive aspects.
"He has never been the most perfect standing start horse so at least off the 20m mark he won't have to stand too long," said Herlihy.
"As long as he is going forward when they say go he should make up some of the 20m quickly enough and then it is just a matter of how the race is run."
With a capacity field but few horses good enough to make mid-race moves, Herlihy is hoping the pace is on throughout.
"If they go very hard that first 2400m then they will have to start stopping at some stage.
"That would probably suit us better than having to make our own move three wide a long way from home because even though he is racing well it is hard to cover that extra ground in this grade when nice horses are getting easy trips inside you."
While he is rated one of the best stayers of his generation, Sly Flyin has never won a really big staying race.
In a career curtailed by injury he has been second in an Interdominion Final, third in an Auckland Cup, second in an Easter Cup and a luckless sixth in this season's New Zealand Cup.
But his win over fellow back marker Winforu at Addington last Friday confirmed that the pair are racing better than their southern rivals.
If the race does have some lead changes and Sly Flyin gets dragged up to midfield without coming three wide then he is the horse to beat.
If the tempo doesn't suit or he gets traffic problems then it could be a very tricky race for punters.
While Winforu is racing well 3200m has never been his pet distance and he races best when close to the pace. He did manage to come from a 30m handicap to win a decent Alexandra Park race in December and driver David Butcher may be forced to play a more patient than usual game tonight.
Fellow northerner Waitfornoone was the unlucky horse in the race won by Sly Flyin last week and looks an upset hope at good each way odds on Saturday.
With the southern open class ranks devoid of the Butt-trained stars like Flashing Red, Foreal and Tribute for this race their best chances probably lie with a rejuvenated London Legend and 4-year-olds Classic Line and Tuherbs. London Legend has looked a non-winner for much of the season but has raced more honestly in his last three starts and has a hope, while Classic Line and Tuherbs can upset with the perfect sit.
The same applies to Highview Badlands and Gimme A Break, although both are well up in grade from their usual assignments.
* Herlihy has lost his star drive at Cambridge tonight with the scratching of Everlaughing Life.
The 3-year-old filly had a slight foot bruise on Tuesday but is still expected to be fit for the Northern Oaks next week.
Herlihy will instead drive stablemate Spicey in tonight's Nevele R Fillies heat, which has been robbed on its other favourite, Running On Faith.
The South Auckland trainer will have two fillies in the night's other feature, the $17,000 Sires' Stakes heat, including exciting southerner Natal Franco.
She beat tonight's likely favourite Susie Maguire when they clashed at Addington last month but her new trainer says a repeat tonight may be difficult.
"She [Natal Franco] is a good filly and worked well on Tuesday morning but barrier eight makes this a big ask," he said.
Susie Maguire will be hardest to beat after an impressive northern debut at Alexandra Park last Fri-day.
Busy boy
* Tony Herlihy will drive Sly Flyin from his 20m handicap in Saturday's $100,000 Easter Cup at Addington.
* Even with his difficult backmark the remarkable veteran is likely to start favourite.
* Herlihy has scratched his exciting filly Everlaughing Life from Cambridge tonight.
* But he still has key drives in both feature races tonight.
