Australasian Grand Circuit
Stories:   Trotters 2006/2007 Season
    
2006/2007 Grand Circuit Trotters Series   2006/2007:  Results   Points
A Touch of Flair and One Over Kenny NZ - Grand Circuit Champions   Trotting Masters Home Page

 

Securing the nod in the closest of photo finishes to decide the $NZ150,000 Rowe Cup on May 4, enabled One Over Kenny NZ in winning the last of the 10 Grand Circuit events for 2006/07, to share the title of Grand Circuit champion with Australia’s A Touch Of Flair.

A Touch Of Flair, recently sold to North American interests and scheduled to contest major events in Sweden this month, did the bulk of its racing on the Grand Circuit in Australia during December-January, with One Over Kenny NZ saving its best for later events.  

The only time this pair met on this Grand Circuit was in Leg 8, the $150,000 Australasian Trotters Championship at Moonee Valley on February 11 over 3065m when the Aussie trotter gave One Over Kenny NZ 20 metres start at the handicaps. The up-and-coming Kiwi won that encounter with A Touch Of Flair a battling second. 

In hindsight, it would appear A Touch Of Flair was at its brilliant best in the major events when over middle-distances. Trained by Russell Thomson, the gelding bred with imported semen from S.J’s Photo (US), was the backmarker in each of its handicaps, including a second to tearaway leader Uncle Petrika NZ in the Adelaide Inter Dominion Final. 

A highlight of this series was the domination of the Kiwi-based sire Sundon USA. No less that seven of the 10 events were won by his progeny, the most remarkable siring statistics in breeding since the inauguration of the Grand Circuit for trotters.  

The US-bred stallion was owned by the noted Kiwi breeder Sir Roy McKenzie who brought it to New Zealand to race. It had high speed but was unsound, ending its racing career with a most unlucky effort in the 1991 Auckland Inter Dominion Final. It has been a sensation at stud since first standing in the South Island at the property made famous years earlier by Sir John McKenzie, importer of such standouts as U. Scott USA and Light Brigade USA. 

Sundon USA was the sire of seven of the field of 15 in the recent Rowe Cup which brought the curtain down on the 2006/07 Grand Circuit series. 

The loss of A Touch Of Flair to overseas interests will leave a big hole in Australia’s major trotter events in coming months with reports from New Zealand of several highly promising trotters there likely to step onto the Grand Circuit stage next season to throw down the gauntlet to One Over Kenny NZ with this fine performer certain to be a backmarker in handicaps next season. 

 

 

One Over Kenny NZ

 
All Time Pacing and Trotting Records pre-2001 please refer to the Australian Harness Racing Annual.

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