There is one good thing about Our Sunny Whiz's 40m handicap at Alexandra Park tonight.
"At least she is following the right horse."
That was driver Maurice McKendry's summary of the imposing backmark the exceptional trotter faces in race nine, the fourth leg of tonight's $300,000 Pick6.
McKendryrates Our Sunny Whiz one of the fastest trotters he has driven in his champion career and punters have fallen in love with her after her 12 wins in 15 starts.
Tonight she faces her biggest test yet off the 40m mark in a bigfield, with her southern equivalent One Over Kenny receiving a 10m start from her.
One Over Kenny has the stamina to counter Our Sunny Whiz's speed as she showed when charging home late in the $50,000 Lyell Creek Trot last Friday.
She was going so fast in the last 50m she galloped and was relegated from second to third, but had she held her gait she would have pushed stablemate Allegro Agitato close for the win.
McKendry admits the southern mare will take some beating.
"I think she [Our Sunny Whiz] has the wood on most of the trotters up here but a horse like One Over Kenny will be hard to beat.
"Those southern trotters who are coming through like her and Tozzie are pretty smart but at last this week from the handicap we can follow her everywhere she goes."
Our Sunny Whiz's speed has enabled her to dominate her northern opponents this season, pressing on to the front almost at will, but tonight she may have to revert to being driven with one run at the leaders.
"She has done that before and we all know she can sprint so I am not too worried. It will be a good race though."
While the two trotting mares dominate that leg of Pick6, punters should find their anchor with Give Or Take in the last leg.
