But the performance of Ultimate Machete in the same group 1 race yesterday left him gasping just one word: wow.
In what turned out to be the most torrid final in the 33 editions of the early season 3yr-old championship, the son of Bettor's Delight - who else? - produced a staying performance for the ages, averaging a 1.52.6 mile rate over the 1950m of the sires' stakes.
The overall time of 2.16.5 was not just a record for 3yr-olds, but was a national record for allcomers, lowering the mark set by Have Faith In Me in the same race in 2014 by 0.8sec.
Kennard shares in the ownership of Ultimate Machete with wife Glenys, Phil and Margaret Creighton, of East Taieri, along with long-time fellow owners Kevin Riseley and Gavin Douglas.
The Kennards also feature in the ownership of Lazarus, who made his mark of a horse of the future in the 2015 edition.
''It's just huge - and the time, wow!'' Kennard explained.
''It was a Lazarus performance. Initially I thought Nat [driver Natalie Rasmussen] was going to go forward - that was what the thinking was - but obviously the gas was so on so early. Then she's had to work round, sit outside Star Galleria and they've gone hammer and tongs from the 800m. Then to hold off Mark [driving More The Better] for the last 100m.
''That's two great races in this race in the last two years and, fortunately, we've had an interest in both horses.''
Co-trainer Rasmussen had a sense the time was quick - the first 341m was run in a blistering 22.1sec - but Ultimate Machete's floating stride helped him swallow up the 1950m in record time.
''He's a very deceiving horse; he just gets over the ground so easy,'' she said.
''I knew they went hard early and we were still moving down the back, and he was just comfortable doing it within himself.
''He's just gone on in leaps and bounds from there. He wasn't a natural 2yr-old, he was a big gawky guy, but he's taken that step now and I think he'll be a nice 4yr-old.''
The All Stars Stables procession, which ended with six winners, began with Matt Anderson breaking his Cup Day duck behind Smiley Sophie in the only maiden on the card.
The 24-year-old Cantabrian finished second with Blackguards Corner last year so was relieved to go one better.
''Especially just getting beat last year, you go away do your homework and and try your luck again,'' he said.
''Coming from Canterbury, it's the icing on the cake.''
Dream About Me had no right to win the Junior Free-for-all after sitting near the back on a slow tempo before moving up parked with a lap to go and grinding out a brave win over Locharburn and Field Marshal.
Part-owner Paul Kenny is familiar with success in the group 3 race as part-owner of champion mare Adore Me, and there are plenty of comparisons between the two already.
''Adore Me won this race the year before she won the cup, so who knows,'' Kenny said.
''If she's going to race in the free-for-all on Friday, she had to run with some authority today and she keeps stepping up.''
