By Jonny Turner
Carter Dalgety thinks it’s a good thing the Group One Ascot Park Invercargill Cup isn’t run on paper.
Dalgety will attempt to win the fourth running of Southland’s biggest race at Group One level, with two of those titles already to his name.
Dalgety and parents Cran and Chrissie produced Republican Party to win the event last year and it proved to be the starting point for the six-year-old establishing himself as New Zealand’s best open class pacer.
A year on and little has changed, with Republican Party installed as a hot favourite for Friday’s race.
The difference this year is the 2024 champion will start another 10m back on the 20m back mark.
Dalgety has had plenty of time to assess that mark and his possible tactics from it.
And nothing has been setting off alarm bells.
“On paper it does look like a tough mark and it is not going to be easy.”
“But there are a few things in our favour.”
“Making a good beginning will be the key to it all, we will want to make it up as quickly as possible.”
“He has been getting away great lately, so fingers crossed he can do it again.”
“I think so long as we aren’t too far off them then I will have a few options.”
“He’s the horse to beat and everyone will be out to make it hard for him, it is a Group One race and he will have to earn it.”
“But I think he can.”
Republican Party tuned up for his Invercargill Cup defence with a brilliant victory at Addington last week.
The Dalgety camp hopes it has the pacer just where he needs to be on Friday.
“He was reasonably forward going into that race, but he did have a good blow afterwards.”
“It is a good thing it panned out the way it did, because that should have him pretty spot on for this week.”
“He’s been in a great space right the way through and as far as how he is looking and how he is feeling, we couldn’t be happier with him.”
Kentuckiana Lodge also start Franco Sinatra in the Invercargill Cup.
The pacer was luckless in his last start at Addington last week when left parked on a strong pace.
With more luck on Friday, he can go a cheeky race.
“He is fit and well and he’s in a field he can be competitive with.”
“He hasn’t had a lot of luck since his Junior Free-For-All win.”
“He should be competitive in this field.”
Team Dalgety start three horses on the Invercargill Cup undercard in Treacherous Dreams, Eun Sogno and The Queens Gambit.
“They all look nice chances in pretty competitive races.”
“Of our team The Queens Gambit has come on really nicely since her last run.”
“She ran second to Eun Sogno who is a colt, which is pretty respectable form.”
“He would be a good chance himself, he’s in a nice field but that is nothing new for him.”
“And Treacherous Dream has the perfect draw for Invercargill with his gate speed, he’s pretty genuine too.”
