Racing: McKendry in pursuit of milestone

Maurice McKendry drives Machtu. Photo / NZPA

Driving legend Maurice McKendry doesn't know exactly how many wins he needs to become only our second horseman to the magical 3000 mark.

However, he is confident he will be at least one closer after tonight's Cambridge meeting.

HRNZ's official website lists McKendry with 2933 domestic career wins but his wife, Sue, puts the number at 2972, with some of those wins before the career stats shown online, which go back only to 1978.

"It sounds like I have about 28 to go but I am sure somebody official will tell me at some stage," said McKendry.

Only long-time friend and rival Tony Herlihy has driven or ridden more than 3000 winners in New Zealand racing and while McKendry has never been much of one for the record book, he admits the milestone will hold some significance.

"I suppose I should get there this season," he says in classic understatement, considering he has averaged around 60 winners a season for the past decade.

The next of those winners should come with Machtu in race three at tonight's truncated Cambridge meeting. The 3-year-old has sat parked before impressively winning his only two starts this season, which is rare for horses early in their campaigns in the north these days.

While he meets another strong last-start winner in Te Kawau tonight, the overall class of the field is down on those he beat last start and McKendry is upbeat about Machtu's chances of completing the treble.

"He really should be too good for them," he says.

"I think he has a bit of a future and he is getting better all the time.

"He showed more gate speed last time so he should be able to get handy or maybe even lead this time."

Machtu's trainer Brian Hughes is using tonight's race as a final lead-up to the first Sires' Stakes heat of the season also at Cambridge in a fortnight, when the pretenders start being separated from the contenders for serious 3-year-old honours.