Racing: Herlihy keen to hold lead with Ohoka Punter

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A seemingly irrelevant scratching could pave the way for Ohoka Punter to end his comeback season with another group one win in tomorrow night's Messenger at Alexandra Park.

The dual Derby winner has clawed his way back to his best form after missing most of last season through two serious bouts of unsoundness which threatened his career.

After a third in Christen Me's national record-smashing Auckland Cup four starts ago he was an enormous third in last Friday's Taylor Mile, making up huge ground wide in a leader-dominated race.

Drawn the ace tomorrow night, he has opened the $2.80 favourite to win the group one and his chances of doing that have been aided by the scratching of No Doctor Needed.

While the latter was good in the Taylor Mile last week he was a $51 chance and not rated a serious hope of winning tomorrow night.

However, he does have gate speed and from barrier four could have potentially crossed Ohoka Punter early, or at least made him work hard to try and hold the front.

With No Doctor Needed out, last Friday's Taylor Mile winner Mossdale Conner looks the only rival on the front line with the raw early speed to have a serious dig at Ohoka Punter and if he does Herlihy will be waiting.

"My fella has good gate speed and is strong so leading is very much an option with him," he says.

For Mr Understated, that is as good as saying "I will be trying to lead" and with a $51 chance in Beyond The Silence drawn to trail him from the second line, it would be a surprise to see Ohoka Punter not try for an all-the-way win should be hold the front.

"He worked a bit and led in the Auckland Cup and it took Christen Me and Adore Me to beat him in 3:13 that night," he said.

While he has progressively improved with racing this term, Ohoka Punter did disappoint initially when a battling sixth after an early break in the Easter Cup two starts ago.

"We found out he was a bit crook after the race," says Herlihy.

"He worked great going into it but had a slight virus after so I am willing to forgive him that run and last week would suggest he got over it quickly."

Stent has opened the $2 favourite for tomorrow's Rowe Cup, while Speeding Spur is the same quote to win the Northern Trotting Derby, with Monbet the big shortener in that market after a gutsy second last Friday.

Dream About Me is $1.70 to win the $150,000 Sires' Stakes Final after recovering from the hoof problem that forced her out of last week's Caduceus Club Classic.