New Zealand mare One Over Kenny rocketed to favouritism for the $150,000 Sky Channel Australasian Trotting Championship Final next Sunday afternoon at Moonee Valley with a stunning heat win at Ballarat last night.
Despite doing it tough outside the leader for a majority of the race, the Kiwi raider proved too strong in a track record 2:02.9 mile rate for the 2710-metre standing start journey.
Trainer Phil Williamson was stoked with the performance and ominously warned the five-year-old would improve en route to next week’s Group 1 showdown.
“It’s tremendous to have a dream result like that,” Williamson said. “It’s a great start to the trip and the good news is we do think she’ll improve because she hadn’t raced for a month before tonight.”
“This race has been in the plans for a little while and I’m totally delighted that it’s all started so well. It’s great to be here with a horse that is 100 percent on her game.
“Tony (Herlihy, driver) didn’t pull the plugs and she switched off once she found the front so the win was probably even better than it looked.
“Really if she trots throughout next week she’ll be the horse to beat without a doubt. She’s just handicapped so well with the start on her main rivals.”
One Over Kenny, who started off the front line, enjoyed a three-metre margin on the line over fellow Kiwi trotter Whatsundermykilt with Inter Dominion champion Uncle Petrika third after his brave attempt at an all-the-way victory. Both the placegetters started off 10-metre handicaps.
The victory was One Over Kenny’s 17th from 31 starts and took the highly promising daughter of Sundon’s earnings past $225,000 for owners Lex & Heather Williams.
Unlike the first heat where the $3.20 favourite saluted, the second heat delivered an upset with monster Kiwi trotter Glenbogle, a $12.70 chance, upstaging the luckless odds-on favourite A Touch Of Flair.
A smart beginning from his 10-metre handicap had the Kevin Fairbairn-trained and Chris Alford-driven Glenbogle in a handy midfield position, whilst A Touch Of Flair was rearward from his 20-metre backmark.
With A Touch Of Flair desperately looking for runs behind a wall of horses back in the field, Glenbogle pinched a winning break and held on by four-metres from the fast finishing $1.50 favourite who rocketed into second late.
Second elect Flying Hardwick ($10.80), who led the field up from his front line, was a further four-metres away in third in what was an encouraging return to form.
The victory was Glenbogle’s 14th from 78 starts and took the seven-year-old’s earnings past $315,000 for the Fairbairn, Glen, Welham and Smith families.
Acceptances will be taken and the final field confirmed for the $150,000 final, to be conducted over 3065-metres, on Wednesday morning.
