KEY POINTS:
One Over Kenny's trainer Phil Williamson was a relieved man by lunch time yesterday.
An hour later he was a relieved and even happier man.
The man behind New Zealand's champion trotting mare knows she is back on track for Saturday night's A$250,000 Interdominion Trotting Final in Melbourne
after two perfect pieces of news.
Williamson - like the rest of the harness racing industry - was shocked when One Over Kenny battled into third in her semifinal of the series at Moonee Valley last Saturday.
But the reason for her rare defeat became obvious when the results of a blood test showed One Over Kenny was suffering from an infection.
"The vet said it would have definitely been enough to see her race 20 per cent below her best," said Williamson.
"But even more importantly he has treated her and said she should be back to her best by Thursday."
While that alone would have been enough to see her tighten back into hot favouritism for the final, One Over Kenny crunched into $1.50 after drawing ideally at barrier two yesterday.
That should allow her to settle handy early without having to be bustled and from there most of her rivals would be unlikely to try and hold her out if driver Tony Herlihy wanted the lead.
And if, as the vet suggests, she is back to her best and leads then race is almost as good as over.
Kiwi speedsters My Rhythm Of The Night (3) and Galleons Sunset (4) will start from handy draws, while semi-final winners Will Trapper (1) and Viva La Fever (6) also get front-line positions.
Canterbury trotter Whatsundermykilt will start from the second line.
The crucial draw for the A$750,000 pacing final blessed Divisive with the best marble at barrier one, from where he can sit just in behind what should be a stunning war for the front.
Favourites Blacks A Fake (6) and Safari (11) will both be heading forward early but their progress could be stymied by Smoken Up, who will undoubtedly be sent on a lead-at-all-costs mission by Lance Justice.
Those draws saw Blacks A Fake shorten into $2, Safari drift to $4 and Divisive tighten to $5.
New Zealand's sole representative, Report For Duty, has drawn well at one on the second line, from where he should be able to sit three deep on the markers.
"It is almost ideal because they will go hard and he can have the last crack at them," said driver Anthony Butt.
Final Interdominion fields:
Pacers: Divisive (1), Perfect Gold Lombo (2), Smoken Up (3), Sequoiah's Spirit (4), Diamonds N Furs (5), Blacks A Fake (6), Karlsruhe (7), Report For Duty (8), Penny Veejay (9), Amorts (10), Robin Hood (11), Safari (12). Emergency: Amorts.
Trotters: Will Trapper (1), One Over Kenny (2), My Rhythm Of The Night (3), Running Pinevale (4, emerg), Galleons Sunset (5), Viva La Fever (6), Pinevale Ellason (7 ), Earl of Mot (8), Whatsundermykilt (9), Crescent Glory (10), Tennotrump (ur), False Gem (ur).