KEY POINTS:
The most forgotten star in New Zealand racing may be worth forgetting about just one more time.
A year ago One Over Kenny was being touted a potential all-time great by
such champion horseman as Tony Herlihy and Phil Williamson.
That praise seemed well deserved as she swept aside the best trotters in the country in record times, only for her career to go pear-shaped during a dreadful Interdominion campaign in Melbourne.
That was followed by an unsuccessful stint in an Australian stable and, with the emergence of superstar Stig this season, One Over Kenny has become One Over Who?
That should change over the next month as One Over Kenny has looked sharp at the trials for new trainer Herlihy.
But he warns that while the mare has still got what it takes, her comeback race at Alexandra Park tonight may not prove a winning one.
One Over Kenny resumes off a 40m handicap against young gun Sovereignty (10m) and Herlihy admits it will take something special to win.
"To win under those circumstances at any stage of her campaign would be
hard because she may have to trot well under 3:30," explains Herlihy.
"And I am not sure she can do that fresh up after such a long break.
"She feels good and looks great so I think she can come back to something like what she was but whether she can win this week, I am not so confident."
Sovereignty's trainer Sean McCaffrey shares Herlihy's opinion.
"If my fella trots his last mile in 2:0, which he can usually do any day, then One Over Kenny could struggle," suggests McCaffrey.
Sovereignty had a brutally hard Cup week after being slow away at the
start of his races but looks ideally placed tonight.
With a better beginning back on a track he loves he looks the one to beat.
While Herlihy will purposely take a cautious approach with One Over
Kenny tonight, he has little choice but to do the same with stable star Gotta Go Cullen in Sydney tomorrow night.
The Auckland Cup winner starts his latest Australian campaign in the
A$100,000 Treuer Memorial at Bankstown but has drawn the inside of the
second line.
That means his chances could well be dictated too by the early speed of the horse he follows out, Iron Hudge.
If Iron Hudge can hold the lead, and his driver Mark Rolfe will undoubtedly be trying to, then Gotta Go Cullen comes right into the race.
But if he ends up three deep on the markers on the tight Bankstown track he could have next to no chance.
Gotta Go Cullen travelled across to Sydney on Tuesday night and took
no harm from the trip. He is stabled with Miracle Mile winner Divisive's trainer-driver Peter Rixon.
"Pete said he looked like he hadn't taken any harm and he seemed to think the draw for Saturday night wasn't too bad," said Herlihy.
Divisive will still start favourite and if he can make the lead early the race should be as good as over.
