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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Peter Robl is making a slight gear change on Mr Kennedy in an effort to secure a breakthrough win at Wyong on Wednesday that’s been a long time coming for the six-year-old.

The gelding, whose story is quite something from his sale for $1.8 million back in 2016 to his debut in Hong Kong and then three year absence from the track, has been placed in both runs for Robl and he’s opting for the visor to make the speedy galloper more aware of potential challengers.

Mr Kennedy was run down by Super Freds at his last start at Wyong back on January 7 and is out to go one better in the Sky Racing Handicap (1000m).

“He’s definitely close to a win. He’s improved every run, fitness wise and the education side of things,’’ he said.

“He’s really knocking on the door and I think he will keep improving.

“I thought with the blinkers on the other day he just treaded water.

“When he didn’t make the corner and couldn’t sense anything there he came back and relaxed until the winner got to him and then he kicked again.”

The son of Fastnet Rock started out with the Hawkes stable before making his debut in Hong Kong in December 2019, finishing last. He bled from one nostril in that race and eventually returned to Australia.

A couple of years later he found his way to Robl’s stable and while his back story still remains a little cloudy to the trainer he said he’s dealing with a sound horse.

“I’ve never been able to get to the bottom of the story with him,’’ he said.

Mr Kennedy runs second at Wyong on January 7

“It was strange that he’s a $1.8m yearling, went over there and had one run then was hunted back home.

“I looked through his vet records and there was nothing in those records to indicate the reason he wasn’t persevered with longer.

“When I brought him into work and he started doing pacework I was waiting for something to go wrong because you’re thinking in the back of the mind there has to be an issue there somewhere.

“He hasn’t had a sore day since he’s been here so it’s a bit of a mystery.”

Robl expects Mr Kennedy, $6 with TAB on Tuesday, to show his customary early speed and produce his best run so far when he heads to Wyong for a race restricted to Midway trainers, which eliminates the larger stables.

“It’s certainly a maiden he can be winning,’’ he said.

“He’s a very quick horse early. I suspect he’ll do the same from a much better draw, he should find the fence and travel nicely.

“I think he still has a little improvement out of this run going forward.”

Meanwhile, Robl is just hopeful stablemate Cordyceps Eight can produce something in the Great Northern Handicap (1600m) in what could be his final run before entering quarantine to be shipped to Macau.

The four-year-old has been placed in one of his nine starts and finished midfield in a Nowra maiden on December 31.

All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday's Wyong meeting