Warren Kennedy (ALAN LEE/PHOTOSPORT file photo).
Warren Kennedy is going to have to pull out all the stops to win the New Zealand premiership, which he has been leading for a long time.
The reigning champion Michael McNab, who is going for a third successive NZ premiership, has closed to within three wins of Kennedy.
Kennedy is the leading stakes race achiever in the country having won 17 Graded and Listed events compared to the 15 of Joe Doyle and 12 of Opie Bosson.
Mcnab is low on this stat with only five stakes wins.
However, McNab has a better strike rate than Kennedy.
He is winning at a rate of one win for every 5.58 rides, while Kennedy is at one win for every 6.03 rides.
Both riders are engaged to ride on Wednesday at Cambridge and on Thursday at Riccarton Park, where Warren has six rides and five rides respectively and Michael has seven and eight rides respectively.
Warren had a double on Saturday at Ruakaka, which helped him open the lead to three as Michael had a blank.
However, it would appear McNab is getting more rides at present, which is going to make it a tough run in.
