Courtesy of HRNZ, By Joshua Smith
Christmas came early for the Kentuckiana Lodge team when they picked up a winning double at Addington Raceway on Friday.
Stable star Krug went into the Commodore Hotel Free-For-All Mobile Pace (1980m) a $1.10 favourite off the back of his Group 1 Invercargill Cup (3200m) triumph and won accordingly under a patient Carter Dalgety drive.
The junior reinsman, who celebrated his first elite-level success behind the Bettor’s Delight entire last start, eased off the gate from his wide barrier and found the one-one behind Shan Noble.
He tracked the Mark Purdon and Hayden Cullen-trained runner throughout before producing the four-year-old three-wide with 400m to go and he loomed ominous at the turn and ran to the line untouched to win by 1-3/4 lengths over Henry Hubert.
Trainers Cran and Chrissy Dalgety were pleased with the win and they are now weighing up their options with their exciting pacer.
“It was just a small field, which was unfortunate for the club but fortunate for us,” Cran Dalgety said.
“They (small fields) are a punters nightmare as they can have pedestrian middle halves or they can be flying early or flying late, but Carter summed it up well.
“He is really sharp at the moment. We would love to have more racing for him now. We know Omakau is there and if we go, we go, but that is the next available one.”
Two races later, the Dalgetys were back in the winner’s circle to welcome back Invitation Only after his victory in the Avon City Ford Pace (2000m).
It was the second consecutive win for the Bettor’s Delight three-year-old and Dalgety was delighted with Sarah O’Reilly’s perfect drive.
“We are rapt with Sarah, she is a wee gem,” Dalgety said. “She worked for us for two or three years and we are excited to give her another win.”
Dalgety is unsure of Invitation Only’s next assignment, but he may look towards handicaps given his rating rise.
“He will have to go to stands because he will be up in ratings now,” he said.
