Racing: NZ Cup hopeful hard to beat

Trainer Maurice McKendry has Percy The Punter on track for the NZ Cup which is a guide to his prospects tonight. Photo / Greg Bowker

If Percy The Punter was using tonight's feature pace at Alexandra Park as a New Zealand Cup trial that would be a great reason to back him.

The fact he isn't is even better.

Trainer-driver Maurice McKendry is so happy with his 5-year-old stable star he says the New Zealand Cup in five weeks is still the likely aim regardless of what happens tonight.

And that should boost punter's confidence even more.

McKendry is old school, preferring to let his horses do the talking on the track, but is adamant Percy The Punter deserves a shot at our greatest race next month.

"He has run the times and follows the speed well so I think he could get good money down there," he said.

"The final decision will be up to Gerald [Shand, owner] but I'm keen to go because he is ready.

"So I'd like to see him go good this week but he doesn't have to win to still be a Cup chance."

That is a mouthful from McKendry and suggests Percy The Punter should start favourite in tonight's 2200m event.

He had to come from the second line in his comeback race last start and still ran Trigirl Brigade, a rival tonight, close in slick closing sectionals. Percy The Punter's fitness will undoubtedly improve on that so perhaps McKendry's biggest worry is the small field.

Small fields provide notoriously tactical racing at Alexandra Park and tend to suit those close to the speed.

Percy The Punter is at his best when following a solid tempo so the dynamics of the race are of more concern than the opposition.

Still, Trigirl Brigade was outstanding last start and is drawn inside Percy The Punter, so she will have an army of supporters. The Cambridge mare looks at her best over sprint trips and won't need to perform much better than she did last start to be the one for Percy to beat.

The expensive flop in the corresponding race two weeks ago was southerner Auditor General, who nearly started favourite but raced lengths below his best.

While that will deter many punters from going again, driver Mitchell Kerr, whose father Paul trains Auditor General, warns to expect improvement.

"He was just cruising on the home turn last start but had no fight, which proves he wasn't at his best.

"He had not been eating well leading into that last race but he has settled in much better now.

"The way he has been working I think he will improve a lot."

Enough to win?

"I think he has a massive show, forget last start," said Kerr.

Add in St Barts and Aslan, who has a wonderful record over 2200m mobile events and the race becomes a tricky little puzzle for punters.