Racing: Herlihy unlikely to travel home empty handed

Auckland trainer-driver Tony Herlihy has five horses entered for tomorrow's Taranaki Trotting Club's annual cup meeting and shouldn't return home empty handed.

Herlihy does not often venture too far outside his home area but when he does his team is generally well worth following.

Spearheading his New Plymouth raid is the Taranaki-owned pacer Wicklow Express, a runner in the $8000 Taranaki Cup (2700m).

Wicklow Express won over 2700m two starts back at Cambridge before tailing the field home in a 3-7 wins handicap at Alexandra Park on December 2.

Herlihy said the horse didn't fire at all but the following morning was found to be in season.

"She was heavily in season, so whether that's what the cause of the failure was I'm not sure, but it could have been," he said.

Herlihy said Wicklow Express had trained on well in the interim and was expecting an improved showing tomorrow.

"She's drawn one from the outside which isn't ideal, but she's equal to most of them [in the field]."

Wicklow Express is raced by Brian Fleming, of Rahotu, and has proved a useful moneyspinner for her owner, winning six races and just on $40,000 in prizemoney. Fleming himself is a trainer.

Herlihy has trained the horse on and off for Fleming, who sends the horse north to avoid having to travel long distances to race meetings.

The remainder of Herlihy's runners are all lower grade pacers.

Carrying his stable colours in race two is Maximus Meridius, who will be having his first race since a layoff.

"He's had the one trial and had a bit of a blow after that," Herlihy said. "He's quite a nice big horse and while he'll improved with the run he should be pretty competitive."

Stablemate Pandora's Gambit in race three looks capable of paying his travel expenses.

"He's been thereabouts and can't quite win," Herlihy said. He is hoping the drop in class the horse strikes could bring a turnaround in form.

Katrina Maree will make her race debut for Herlihy in race four and has had a first and a second at trials in the northern area.

"She's a first starter, but she's a nice filly and has done everything right so far."

Finimao is a one win pacer, but has been out of form in her last two starts. Herlihy is hoping for improvement. "She's just been battling for form and we're seeing if a drop in class will help her a wee bit."

- NZPA