By Michael Guerin
An unexpected off-track victory has opened the door to what could ultimately be a new chapter in the career of outstanding junior driver Carter Dalgety.
Dalgety is already one of the brightest stars in New Zealand harness racing who is also one of the fastest drivers ever to 100 wins in this country. All that, and two Group 1 wins, by the age of 21.
The son of trainers Cran and Chrissie Dalgety, Carter is always striving to improve which is one of the reasons he appplied for the NZ Equine Research Foundation Valachi Downs Young Achiever Scholarship, more for the experience than expecting to win.
But win he did and he will take his prize money from the award and use it to further his career firstly in North America in early July and then at the Elitlopp in Sweden next May.
“I think most of the other winners of the scholarship have been more thoroughbred based but the organisers were amazing to deal with and I was thrilled to win it,” says Dalgety.
“The money will help me travel to learn more and get better at my craft so I head to the States on July 8 and could be there for 6 to 8 weeks.”
Dalgety’s trip will be enormously aided his schoolboy hero and now friend Dexter Dunn being one of the biggest names in US driving while Dalgety this week had his licence to drive in races up there approved.
“I will be able to stay with Dex and learn from him and it sounds like a few of the ex-Kiwi trainers up there will give me some starter drives at the smaller tracks,” he explains.
“I have always loved US harness, I think it is something handed down from my Dad and Granddad, and I can’t wait to get up there and start learning.”
Kiwi harness fans don’t have to worry about losing Dalgety, who sits seventh on the open drivers premiership, to the US fulltime.
“I still see my future being here for the next five years and maybe I will never live their fulltime.
“But one thing Dex told me keeps running through my head, he said just by going up there and learning I will be a better driver when I come back home.”
Dalgety is four wins clear of Sam Thornley on the national junior driver’s premiership and believes he has at least two good winning chances at Addington tonight.
Ragazzo Major (R10, No.8) is a beautifully-related three-year-old now living up to his breeding and chasing three wins on end tonight in the Gold Band Taxis Mobile Pace.
“He is a really big horse so time has helped him but he is getting there and I am sure he can win again, although the Hope horse (Wild Willow, No.6) could be hard to beat.
“Franco Sinatra (Race 7 – The Storer Motors Handicap Pace) has his first standing start and will be fitter for his couple of runs back so I think he will go well, but these handicap races can be tricky depending on how they are run.”
Dalgety suggests his bolter for the night could be Woodlea Jewel (R9 – the Woodlands Stud Supporting Or Future Mobile Pace) who has been working like an improved performance is in the offing.
