KEY POINTS:
Maurice McKendry can't wait for Our Sunny Whiz to come home.
And punters could be feeling the same way.
The Queen of Alexandra Park has been a shadow of herself on her month-long southern campaign, which ends in the $300,000 Dominion Handicap at Addington tomorrow night.
While Our
Sunny Whiz is near faultless at Alexandra Park, she is little more than a money-muncher for punters when asked to trot left-handed.
So much so that she is rated a $12 chance by TAB bookmakers for tomorrow's 3200m event and could even start longer on the tote.
Regular reinsman McKendry doesn't argue with the bookies' assessment.
"She was very average down there [Addington] last week by her standards," said McKendry, New Zealand's second most successful horseman ever.
"She just doesn't seem to trot that well left-handed and never really felt at home last week.
"It is a shame because she is such a beautiful-going mare at Alexandra Park. But that is trotters for you."
McKendry is hopeful, rather than confident, that the fact trainer Ken Sefonte has been in Canterbury with Our Sunny Whiz all week will bring about a form reversal.
"So I am more looking forward to getting her back up here at Alexandra Park where she loves it," said McKendry.
Even on top of her game for tomorrow's big trot, Our Sunny Whiz may struggle with Stig, who has been dominant in the southern open class trots this season.
He easily downed many in tomorrow's field in last Friday's New Zealand Trotting Free-For-All and will love the extra distance of the Dominion.
He has been opened a $1.85 by the TAB, remarkably short considering he will have to start from the outside of the second line because he is unruly.
Exciting open class newcomer Ray is rated the surprise $7 second favourite.
While punters won't be getting too carried away with Stig at $1.85 tomorrow night, that hasn't been the case with Changeover as he prepares for next week's Miracle Mile.
The New Zealand Cup winner has been sensationally backed in Australia this week.
Changeover started the week at $16 to win the Miracle Mile tomorrow week but was only $5 last night.
The plunge has come after trainer Geoff Small confirmed the 5-year-old stallion will start in the race.
That has pushed favourite Auckland Reactor back out to $2.50 from as short as $2.20 this week, with Australian bookmakers saying there is little or no interest in the unbeaten Kiwi.
Blacks A Fake remains the second favourite for the A$500,000 Sydney sprint at around $2.80 last night. He will run in a lead-up race at Harold Park tomorrow night and could well start favourite in the Mile if he fares well at Saturday night's barrier draw.
The two Kiwi reps will travel to Sydney on Monday night and both are expected to continue on to Melbourne to contest the A$375,000 Victoria Cup on December 20.
BELOW BEST
* Outstanding Auckland mare Our Sunny Whiz is struggling in the South Island.
* She is now rated only a $12 chance in tomorrow night's $300,000 Dominion Handicap.
* Changeover has been heavily backed to win next week's Miracle Mile.