Dalgety forever dreaming of that next feature success

The road to unearthing a potential harness racing champion is never a clear-cut path.

Cran Dalgety has often spoke candidly about his relentless pursuit of another London Legend or Christen Me and how the most likely of avenues such as the yearling sales can often lead one down a garden path of some expensive failures.

Fortunately for the master horseman from West Melton, his expert eye has produced his Kentuckiana Lodge barn which he shares in training partnership with wife Chrissie, more than his fair share of success stories also.

But even Dalgety admits that more than a fair bit of luck is required and sometimes that extends to what simply comes through the gate and the old adage that good horses can come from anywhere rang true with yesterday’s Cheviot Harness Racing Club ‘Dalgety double’.

Juvenile filly, Forever Dream (Downbytheseaside) was a gallant winner of the 56th edition of the G3 $40,000 Cobbitty Equine Leonard Memorial at just her second race day start.

Partnered by the rising star Carter (Dalgety), the pair showed some real grit in outmuscling race rival Spicey Crunch (Captain Crunch) and Tim Williams to win the time honoured feature by a neck in what amounted to being a bit of a staying test over the 1980m sprint distance.

As the $1.70 favourite for yesterday’s early season juvenile feature, one could easily assume the barn had seen this coming from early in the piece. But the daughter of Downbytheseaside has proven to be quite the surprise packet for all involved which now includes an army of connections, led by the vivacious Simon Pulley.

“It’s a bit of a curly one actually because we had a few shiny expensive sales horses at home, and this one came from a lease job actually,” said Dalgety.

“Simon Pulley, he’s full of enthusiasm I’ll give him that! He had acquired her and was wanting me to have a look at a couple that were going to go in work. She was broken in by Jack Harrington and he said he quite liked her. We took her with no expectations whatsoever and brought some of our clientele into her ownership and while we never got too excited too early on, we always knew she had speed.

“All of the Downbytheseaside’s we have had have shown some speed to be fair. We thought we would try and qualify her before we tipped her out and she went a nice trial for third without quite going time. Carter suggested we give her another start at the trials and she won that quite nicely too and it’s gone from there.

“We didn’t really have a plan of lining up in Group races or diamond rings and gold watches nor holidays two months ago, I know that,” he laughed.

Forever Dream was an excellent second on debut behind the Hayden Cullen trained General Jen (Captaintreacherous) making up a stack of ground late in the piece to narrowly miss a debut victory.

When she drew barrier three for yesterday’s assignment, the TAB opened the filly at odds of around $2.40 which were quickly snapped up by punters who liked what they saw from the meritorious first up run, closing in the red at $1.70.

Carter had Forever Dream leave the gate like she was tied to it to lead as she liked, before being challenged by her last start victor, general Jen and Blair Orange for the front which after a brief tussle was relented.

The Stonewall Sud trained Spicey Crunch was left parked for the last lap after having had the back of General Jen and the daughter of Captain Crunch stuck bravely turning for home. She soon had the measure of the leader, but couldn’t withstand the passing lane run of Forever Dream who stopped the clock in a tidy 2:26.5.

“Speed was never an issue, it was always a matter of how much stamina she had,” said Dalgety.

“Many a baby has speed but when they are under the blow torch, can they keep going? I suppose you could say she did get put under the torch a bit yesterday after leaving the gate and when Blair came and had a look, they out a wee 28 quarter down in the middle there.

“Sure they got home in a slow time (61.1/31.6), but it was a bit of a slugfest. Carter said she was buggered but she was very determined to be victorious, so I will give her that. There was a lot of ambition about it,” he quipped.

FOREVER DREAM REPLAY

Forever Dream doesn’t have a lot of time to sit around and bask in the spoils of Group Three glory with her next assignment coming this Saturday afternoon at Winton with the inaugural running of the G2 $70,000 Entain 2YO Fillies Classic. Dalgtey admits that much like the schedule to date for his speedy filly, this wasn’t a race pre marked on the calendar but has decided to try and make some hay while the sun is still shining.

“We were going to give her a holiday but as you know Dean Shannon has been very good to us and thrown in a $70,000 race down South later in the week and we wondered what other ones would come out of the woodwork for it but decided to nominate her for it. We would hate to be home in the stall and it will still be a hard race to win, but we may as well have a throw at the stumps,” he said.

Earlier on the programme in the second on the card, Dalgety lined up the blue blooded three-year-old maiden, Picaddilly Pete (Sweet Lou) with the first foal of sensation race-filly Piccaddilly Princess having his first start in the Kentuckiana colours.

After being given some time to balance up off the mobile, he was sent forward and took control of the race early and it was there he remained showing a serious pair of heels to win as he liked by two lengths.

PICCADILLY PETE REPLAY

“He’s a bit of a curly ball too because he is out of the very good race mare Piccadilly Princess. He must have been a bad-gaited horse and been a little bit of a challenge by the sounds. He got put on GavelHouse and Brendan Marshall ended up buying him for $10,000 and that’s how he arrived at my place.

“Matt Purvis had him for a couple of starts and he sat parked and ran a second to We Walk By Faith at Oamaru and he put in a good late burst for eighth in a Sires Stakes heat behind Cold Chisel at Ashburton.

“He’s not really big, but he’s very determined and the new owner is very excited for his $10k purchase out of a mare such as her ability,” he said.

For complete Cheviot fields, click here.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink