Racing: Move over, here's Kenny

Punters who made One Over Kenny a $1.60 favourite in the Victoria Trotters Oaks and then saw their money gallop down the drain would be wise to tread carefully again tonight, according to her trainer and driver Phil Williamson.

One Over Kenny will line up at Moonee Valley in the group three Holmfield and has again been unkindly treated in the draw.

"The inside of the second line is probably the one place you don't want to be over a mile, so I am a bit apprehensive," said Williamson.

"The trouble is that I'm told I'm following out the worst horse in the race [Flying Hardwick, who has galloped at his last four starts] so I don't see how the others won't get a good start on me.

"I'm not saying she won't win, because she's got the ability, but it's not easy to win mile races that way. I wouldn't be putting my last dollar on her."

Four weeks ago, in the Victoria Oaks, One Over Kenny both enhanced and tarnished her reputation when staging a huge recovery for fifth after breaking with just over a lap to go.

At the point of her mistake One Over Kenny was getting a perfect drag into the race three-wide and appeared to be cruising.

"It was very frustrating from where I was sitting," said Williamson. "When she got into the three-wide line she just got a bit keen and broke. Unfortunately she then had a full head of steam up and there was no getting her back. There were no excuses though. I just put it down to immaturity.

"Even though she's had 12 starts that's still not many for a trotter."

When One Over Kenny did settle back into a trot she had lost a distance estimated by commentator Dan Mielicki at 200m, though Williamson himself says it was probably around 100.

By either measure, her subsequent effort to officially finish 28m from the winner was tremendous.

The two horses that ran the quinella in the Oaks will again be some of One Over Kenny's toughest rivals tonight.

Jauriol, as the winner of two group one races already, is well-established as one of the top young squaregaiters in Australia, while Sophistix is the big improver.

She was at 60-1 when running second in the Oaks, a placing she achieved despite a mid-race break that cost her about 30m.

Williamson, however, rates Tennotrump as the hardest to beat.

The Peter Manning trained colt was the beaten favourite in last season's Breeders Crown but has won three of his four starts this term.

After tonight, One Over Kenny will next race in a heat for her main Australian mission, the Victoria Trotters Derby.

For One Over Kenny's connections the next few weeks will represent their only opportunity to earn some stakes for some time.

Williamson will regretfully spell his star filly for much of next season because of the lack of opportunities for four-year-old trotters.

"She'd come back next season as a c4 or c5 horse and the older more experienced horses would be right behind her.

"Our trotters are getting stronger and stronger and we're starting to see the clubs programming more trotting races but there's nothing at all for the four-year-olds. It's disappointing because I'm sure people would like to see a race with One Over Kenny, Tozzie, Our Sunny Whiz and a few of the others."