Racing: McKendry worth following

By MICHAEL GUERIN

Maurice McKendry is hardly one of harness racing's most confident tipsters but even the conservative one admits he shouldn't leave Cambridge empty-handed tonight.

Hard on the back of a four-race winning performance at Alexandra Park last Friday, McKendry is the driver to follow at tonight's meeting, the final Cambridge fixture of the season.

While he has a slow start to the night, McKendry will partner the well-supported trio of Teepee Town (R4), New York Times (R6) and Falcon Girl (R8) as well as interesting runners Blue Galleon (R5) and Landora's Style (R9).

"Those first three look good chances and I probably couldn't choose between them for my best," said McKendry.

McKendry says punters should forgive Teepee Town his last-start third as a hot favourite at Alexandra Park.

"He doesn't know much and he got a bit too fired up early and that cost him at the end of the race," said McKendry.

"He wouldn't want to work as hard as he did last start but he is still a good chance. Caprock Prince will be the horse to beat."

While Teepee Town has the luxury of a good draw, both New York Times and Falcon Girl will need all of McKendry's skills to get them home.

New York Times comes into the night's feature well placed as a class six pacer racing mainly lower class opponents and will appreciate the return to his favoured mobile start conditions.

"The mobile will help because he has been getting back in the field in the standing start races and running on well without a lot of luck.

"I don't think the draw will help though because there is a lot of speed inside him and I will probably have to go back at the start and hope to get a cart into the race.

"But it does look a good race for him, with Tabell and Arapito Lobell the ones to beat."

Falcon Girl may even rate as McKendry's best chance of victory tonight after dramatic improvement this campaign.

"I can't believe how much she has improved this time in. She is 10 seconds better than she was last campaign and all three of her runs this time has been very good.

"Again she hasn't had much luck with the draw but I have been impressed by her lately."

Falcon Girl was a close third in a 1:56.5 two starts ago and then chased home classy mare Electric Kiwi last start so tonight's fourth leg of Pick Six represents a major drop in class.

While they represent McKendry's best hopes he also rates Blue Galleon and Landora's Style worthy of mention.

"I drove Blue Galleon for Tremain Thorby at the workouts and he finished second or third and felt like a horse who would win a race soon enough," he said.

"And we all know Landora's Style has the ability to win his race if he does things right. He can make mistakes but the mobile will help and he could be an interesting runner."

Landora's Style's only win - or show of form of any sort - came under tonight's conditions at Cambridge when he was trained by Neil Brady.

New trainer Ray Norton has battled to get the gelding to trot throughout in his races but would not be showing such patience with a maiden trotter unless he thought it was a battle worth winning. If he puts his best hoof forward tonight he could reward Norton and whatever few fans he has left.

Those looking for a Pick Six anchor should look no further than La Tan, who comes in very well in a weak third leg and should have few problems with his rival outside Kaveka Sunshine, who has been unlucky lately and won a workout well on this track last Saturday.

Also well placed tonight is A Little More Magic, who although facing a second line draw in the first leg of Pick Six is dropping down in class and has won at Cambridge before.