KEY POINTS:
Phil Williamson almost can't bring himself to say it.
Trotting's "Mr Nice Guy" would love to open up to punters about how he really rates his two-pronged attack on tonight's $150,000 Rowe Cup at Alexandra Park.
He would love to tell you he thinks One Over Kenny will just win, regardless of what happens. He would also love to admit he has never been more confident with any horse going into a major race.
But if he did that he wouldn't be Phil Williamson.
He also has ample back-up in Allegro Agitato.
"I am confident but I don't believe in talking up my chances too much before a race," says the softly-spoken Oamaru horseman.
"But I think One Over Kenny showed last week that she is the one to beat."
That is the understatement of the open class trotting season, with One Over Kenny so dominant in the final lead-up race last Friday she opened a $2.10 favorite for the Rowe.
A trotter paying $2.10 to win the Rowe Cup off a 10m handicap in a capacity field is territory only navigated by Lyell Creek or Take A Moment in the last decade, but it is hard to argue with the bookmaker's assessment.
While the veteran open class trotters have gone through their paces this season, taking turns at winning the group races, One Over Kenny has arrived like a cool breeze, adding a fresh dimension of class to a stale crop.
Along with race rivals, Our Sunny Whiz and Braig, she is the future of New Zealand trotting and her brain finally seems to have realised what her body can do. At the start of this season she would sometimes falter under pressure. Now she thrives in the same environment.
Williamson, who like his horse is still somewhat of a newcomer to the big time, is not surprised by her mental development.
"Open class racing is all about pressure and particularly for young trotters it is hard to adjust," he says.
"But after Christmas, after she had some hard races back to back, she started to realise how it all worked and now we are seeing the best of her."
Then Williamson drops that conservative South Island guard, just for a second, just long enough to give you every reason to take the short odds on offer for One Over Kenny tonight.
"Now it is her time to put the pressure on the others, to make them crack. And she is ready to do that."
One Over Kenny is a natural stayer who will love the 3200m tonight and while she faces a huge task she has the speed to sit back if the race is run hard or the stamina to loop her opponents if they slow up.
So impressive was her win last Friday in a similar field it is hard to see any of those who finished behind her turning the tables.
One horse who wasn't there last Friday and did beat One Over Kenny at the previous start is Our Sunny Whiz, who looks the clear danger.
The home-track heroine performs best when fresh and is a potent front runner if allowed to get into her own rhythm and can be almost as dangerous with a sit, providing she doesn't over race.
She could be a long way in front of One Over Kenny when the field settles tonight and has the speed to test the mare who looks set to be her arch-rival for life.
Braig was checked early last Friday but is another fine stayer in the making while any one of the been-there, down-that brigade of Pompallier, Allegro Agitato, Play On, Romper Stomper, Glenbogle and Whatsunderkykilt could run in the money.
But it will be a surprise if one of the new kids on the block isn't standing in the winner's circle after the best trotting race of the season.
Rowe Cup Night
* One Over Kenny is a hot favourite for the $150,000 Rowe Cup.
* She heads the new crop of open-class trotters.
* Divisive is aiming for a feature-race double in the $150,000 Messenger Pace.
* Tonight's Alexandra Park meeting also features the Sires' Stakes Fillies Final and Northern Trotting Derby.
