Months of planning culminated in a double Group-One delight for Kentuckiana Lodge at Alexandra Park on Friday night.
Trainers Cran and Chrissie Dalgety produced Fugitive for a classy win in the Group One Young Guns Colts & Geldings Final before
Republican Party furthered his sensational summer and autumn with a big win in the Group One Roy Purdon Memorial.
Kentuckiana Lodge have been camped in the North Island for many weeks to target the huge lineup of feature races recently, and they’ve already produced plenty of success.
Clinching two Group One titles in the best possible style brought great reward to the stable and all of their owners and supporters.
“What a night. Group Ones are the pinnacle, and we were thrilled to take out one of them,” Cran said.
“To get two is a huge thrill, plus we get to share it across a huge group of our owners, which makes it even better.”
“We’ll get these horses tucked up and give them a well-deserved dinner, but I’m picking our team of owners will be having a hell of a party in Auckland tonight.”
Fugitive worked hard throughout Friday night’s Group One Young Guns Final before powering away to a huge victory.
In doing so, the pacer gave Cran’s ability to select a yearling another big tick.
“He was one that captured the eye at the sales. He wasn’t high-priced or anything, but he just had that look of a lovely athletic type.”
“He’s wanted to get up and go from the moment we broke him in.”
“So naturally the Young Guns was an ideal series to target.”
“He had circumstances against him tonight and he had to be good.”
“But he wanted it, and he exerted his dominance, it was a big thrill.”
Fugitive is raced by Brendan and Anne James of BFJ Bloodstock, who have had a long association with the Dalgetys.
“We have known Brendan and Anne for a long time, and they have been great supporters of ours. They’ve invested in the New Zealand industry.”
“They’ve got a wee cracker here, and his future is looking very bright.”
Republican Party added Group One win number four to his résumé with a powerful front-running display in the Roy Purdon Memorial.
Carter Dalgety made a key tactical choice in his second Group One driving triumph of the night.
The reinsman took Republican Party to the lead early after making a nice beginning, and once in front, the pacer is nearly impossible to get past.
“It’s funny to think we were chasing down a Group One win in December, and now we have four of them,” Cran said.
“He’s raced the best all his life, and now he is getting the rewards he deserves.”
“He’s such a lovely horse. Obviously, he has the motor to be up with the very best of them.”
“But his attitude and will to win — and to thrive off the elite racing we’ve had over the past six weeks — that shows what kind of horse he is.”
“We’re just super proud of him.”
Republican Party is raced by Grant Dickey, Ken Cummings, Gary Merlo, Julie Rooney, Greg Ayers, David Schollum, Bernard Smith, the First Term Syndicate, and the A & M Syndicate, with many in the group making the trip to Alexandra Park.
