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Christmas came early for Kentuckiana Lodge last Friday when their star pacer Republican Party (NZ)(Bettor’s Delight) won his second consecutive Group One Invercargill Cup (2700m).
The Cran and Chrissie Dalgety-trained entire has been on a hot streak, winning six of his previous 9 harness racing starts, and he was favoured to extend his winning sequence at Ascot Park last week.
Beginning from his 20m backmark, Republican Party settled at the rear of the field for driver Carter Dalgety, while young gun The Lazarus Effect(NZ)(Lazarus) set a solid tempo upfront.
Republican Party looped the field to sit parked outside The Lazarus Effect at the bell. His unrelenting pace began to take its toll on some of his rivals, including the trailing Macandrew Aviator (NZ)(Panspacificflight) who began to weaken and Republican Party was able to drift onto The Lazarus Effects back at the 400m.
Turning for home, The Lazarus Effect looked full of running and kicked clear once again, but Republican Party took chase and was able to wear down his rival, eventually getting his nose in front, and he went on to score a three-quarter of a length victory.
“We knew the race was never going to be handed to him from the 20m back mark,” Carter Dalgety said.
“Bob (Butt) drove the perfect race and his horse (The Lazarus Effect) is a very good horse, but my fella dug in, he had to earn it and he knuckled down and did just that. I couldn’t be prouder of him.”
Republican Party will now head to the opposite end of the country next week where he will seek to defend another title – the Gr.1 Auckland Trotting Cup (3200m) at Alexandra Park on New Year’s Eve.
“He loves this time of year, he is a horse in the zone and it makes sense to get him to Auckland,” Dalgety said. “We had a few options, we could sit back at home and pamper him but he is very hardened to this open class racing and we think he can take it in his stride like he usually does.”
Bred by Katrina and John Price, Republican Party is out of Group One-winning mare Democrat Party, a daughter of Group One performer Champagne Party, and the dam of Group One performer Advance Party.
Republican Party was offered through Price Bloodstock’s 2020 NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sale draft at Christchurch where he was purchased by Cran Dalgety for $210,000.
The six-year-old has now won 26 of his 63 starts to date, including five at Group One level, and has amassed more than $1 million in prizemoney.
| Vendor | Price Bloodstock |
|---|---|
| Purchaser | Cran Dalgety |
| Owner(s) | Mrs C M Dalgety, G E Dickey, Mrs J E Rooney, G A Ayers, First Term Syndicate, D A Schollum, K J Cummings, B A Smith, G P Merlo, A & M Syndicate |
| Breeding | Bettor’s Delight – Democrat Party |
| Sale | 2020 National Standardbred Yearling Sale, Christchurch ($210,000) |
| Breeder(s) | F J Price,Mrs K V Price |
From NZB Standardbred
