KEY POINTS:
The connections of champion trotting mare One Over Kenny have vowed they will not run scared from travel restrictions that could leave her stranded in Australia after the Interdominions.
Several leading Kiwi trainers have turned their backs on possible Australian campaigns in coming months as rumours circulate there
will be no immediate change to the laws banning horses from returning to New Zealand from Australia because of the equine influenza outbreak.
That means any horse who campaigns at the Interdominions may not be able to quickly return home, which rules One Over Kenny out of defending her Rowe Cup title in May.
While EI is slowly coming under control in Australia and has not spread to Victoria, where the Interdominions will be held, there are still fears horses who race there could be trapped until the Australian State and Federal Governments, as well as the New Zealand officials, reduce restrictions on travel interstate and across the Tasman.
But Phil Williamson, who trains One Over Kenny, says while he is aware the restrictions could still be in place after the Interdominion Final on March 1, his great mare will be in the series.
"We have made up our mind and we are going," Williamson told the Herald.
"The Interdominions are definitely the aim and if she has to stay over there after that then maybe she can race for a month longer or she can spell over there.
"Effectively, we are saying when she leaves here next month she won't race again in New Zealand this season but it is worth taking that option."
One Over Kenny has been backed into $1.50 favouritism with Australian bookies for the March 1 Final at Moonee Valley.
There was a slight ripple in that market this week when bookmakers put Canterbury trotter Mountbatten back in the betting after withdrawing him last week.
But his co-trainer Tim Butt says the 5-year-old has only been left in the nominations as a precaution.
"At this stage he is definitely not going but we left him in just in case something happens to One Over Kenny," said Butt.
"If she was to miss the trip for some reason then Mountbatten would go, but at this stage he will stay home and get ready for races down here and then the Rowe Cup."
But Butt has confirmed he will now have two Interdominion pacing contenders - Foreal will join Report For Duty in Australia.
"Report For Duty will go to the Hunter Cup, then the Inters, while Foreal will race in the mares' races at Addington this month and then join him over there."
Foreal is likely to stay on in Australia after the Inters and head to New South Wales to contest a $100,000 mares' races when the new Menangle track, which will be the home of New South Wales harness racing, opens on April 2
* AAP reports Report For Duty is likely to miss the Moonee Valley Cup on Saturday and instead run in the Ballarat Cup a week later as his Hunter Cup lead-up. The Ballarat feature is a qualifying race for the Interdominion semifinals.
Report For Duty does not arrive in Melbourne until tomorrow, bringing about the late change in plans.