Trainer Tony Herlihy is optimistic that his four-year-old trotter, You Never Know, can continue his impressive progress when he competes at Alexandra Park on Friday night in the Plumbing World Trot. This will be the horse’s first race in five weeks, stepping up in competition after a commanding last-start victory where he covered the mile in 1:58.7 from a parked position.
You Never Know carries a 15-metre handicap in the event, which features a strong field including the returning Belle Neige, who last raced in April’s $600,000 TAB Trot slot race at Cambridge. While You Never Know is not yet at the level of open-class competition, Herlihy believes the horse is closing in on that grade, particularly with New Zealand’s open-class ranks experiencing a dip following the retirements of Muscle Mountain, Oscar Bonavena, and Bet N Win.
“He is a pretty good horse and I think he will only get better with more racing,” Herlihy said. Despite a brief rest after his recent win, You Never Know has performed well in workouts and is expected to improve further from Friday’s outing. Key to his performance will be positioning himself efficiently in the early stages of the race and holding a strategic advantage over main rivals Braveheart-Highlander and Belle Neige.
The competition also features promising but inconsistent runners such as Paramount Spur and Pantani, offering insight into potential contenders ahead of the upcoming returns of notable trotters like Hillbilly Blues, Meant To Be, and Higher Power in the coming weeks.
Herlihy, enjoying a strong run with his stable, also fields three main contenders in Race 2. Franco Ronaldo and Muscle Memory will start on the front line, while the two-year-old filly Bijou begins from a 30-metre handicap, a challenging task over the 2200-metre distance. Herlihy highlighted Franco Ronaldo’s impressive debut and successful trial performance as indicators of potential success, though Bijou faces a steeper challenge due to her draw.
In the main pace event (Race 8), Herlihy will drive The Surfer from a second-line draw over 1700 metres. The horse faces stiff competition, particularly from the favourite Secret Beach, who has emerged as one of the North Island’s top intermediate-grade pacers following a dominant last-start win.
Additionally, Herlihy identifies He’s Not That Into U as a dark horse in the final race, having finished strongly at Cambridge recently. “He is getting better and hopefully he can settle a bit handier this week and be a chance,” Herlihy noted.
Friday’s programme at Alexandra Park is shaping up to be a significant early indicator for the trotting season ahead, with Herlihy’s horses expected to play a prominent role.