By Jonny Turner
Cran and Chrissie Dalgety will take two Group One stars to Addington on Friday but only one will race.
The Kentuckiana Lodge trainers will step out Aussie Oaks winner Pelosi for the first time in New Zealand in race 7 while their Derby winning star Krug will have an exhibition hitout between races.
Krug is one of the reasons behind Pelosi coming to New Zealand with Cran Dalgety being asked to take the mare on by her former trainer and owners Anna Woodmansey and Wayne Honan when he was campaigning his three-year-old in Queensland.
After having time to acclimatise to her new home in Canterbury, Dalgety has given the mare a good grounding and thinks she’s ready to make an impact at the races.
“We have spent a bit of time getting to know her and we have been happy with her trials, so she is pretty fit and ready to rumble,” the trainer said.
“She is obviously a very nice horse and she is very fast but she’s also got a bit of stamina.”
“She hasn’t been able to show that too much coming through a lot of sprint racing in Australia but there are a few more opportunities for her.”
Pelosi has been handed something of an Aussie visitor’s draw in barrier 8 in her 1980m assignent on Friday night.
Though not ideal, Dalgety thinks she and driver Blair Orange can overcome it.
“It’s no picnic out there, but she is very fast and that will give Blair options.”
“He will be able to decide what to do, but if they go hard enough she can get over the top of them.”
“Hopefully she can start things on a good note.”
Krug heads to Addington for an important hit out ahead of his trip to Victoria for the Breeders Crown following the cancellation of this week’s Rangiora trials.
“We are taking him in with Enjoy Me and Remember Me mainly to get his standing start ticket.”
“It just gives us a few more options for lead up races as we try to get him ready to go to Australia.”
“He shouldn’t have any trouble and it will be a big asset going forward.”
Krug has pleased the Dalgety team ahead following a short let up following his successful Queensland winter campaign.
“We watched the Derby over there like everyone else and Act Now is a very good horse and is going to be hard to beat.
“But we are rapt with they way Krug has been coming up and we are looking forward to having another crack at the Aussies.”
The Dalgety barn line up two more horses in Friday night’s races in Republican Party and first starter Invitation Only.
Republican Party was initially going to bypass this week’s Sires Stakes heat but the pacer has thrived since winning at Addington last week.
“Last week’s race has done him the world of good and he has come through it super.”
“We were going to wait until the Ashburton heat but the way he has come through it made us go again this week.”
“He is fit and well and he is well up to most of that field, I would like to think.”
“I’m expecting a pretty positive performance.”
Republican Party and driver Blair Orange will have to overcome barrier 8 in Friday night’s race.