Racing: Auckland fans will see the stars

Finally, northern harness racing fans should get the spring they deserve.

Northern racing in recent years has provided little in the way of high class competition, with anything this side of the New Zealand Cup in November usually little more than glorified trials.

But the often small open class pacing fields of September and October have usually been better than their trotting equivalents, with few opportunities for Alexandra Park patrons to see open class trotting talent before December.

However, the winter of discontent may finally be ready to give way to some serious spring racing, judging by events this week.

The most important step in guaranteeing northern open class racing pre-NZ Cup is a near full-field of pacers in the feature race at Alexandra Park on Friday.

Horses such as Changeover, Awesome Armbro and St Barts may face tough handicaps in a 2200m event on Friday but if that race had not gone ahead the whole northern spring open class season was in jeopardy.

Had this Friday's race been abandoned, Changeover and Awesome Armbro would have likely headed to Christchurch this week where they would be certain of racing opportunities.

And while Changeover has plenty of critics in racing at the moment, he is the key to that northern open class scene because where he goes his swag of open class stablemates follow for reasons of logistical ease.

Take him, Awesome Armbro and All Tiger out of play and races such as the Spring Cup on September 25 and the Kumeu Founders Cup on October 9 start to look decidedly shaky and almost irrelevant as New Zealand Cup lead-ups.

But with the big name pacers getting a start this week they will now stay home for those two remaining open class affairs, with plenty of support to be added.

St Barts is already a legitimate open class contender, while four more stepped out at the Pukekohe workouts yesterday, headed by Ohoka Dallas and Pembrook Benny.

So the northern open class spring is finally set to provide some serious racing as well as the undoubted controversy that now follows Changeover wherever he goes.

"We are thrilled to get the numbers for the feature race this week and it looks great for the two other open class races we have coming up," said ATC president Rod Croon. While decent-sized open class pacing fields are rare enough at this time of the season in the north, a genuine heroine like One Over Kenny is almost unheard of.

The north has had few great trotters in the past decade anyway but Alexandra Park racegoers can expect to see our richest-ever mare twice before she heads south.

"At this stage there looks to be races for her there on September 25 and then two weeks later and that is what she is set for," said trainer Tony Herlihy.

He was pleased with One Over Kenny's public return at Pukekohe yesterday, where she easily overcame a 30m handicap to win the main trot.

"She will need a run or two more but she is coming up well."

Much like the northern spring, for once.