Fugitive just avoids capture

In last night’s $100,000 Group One Breckon Farms Young Guns Cardigan Bay Stakes at Alexandra Park, Fugitive (Downbytheseaside) had to hang tough for most of the race and then withstand a late charge to win the juvenile harness racing feature – by an ever diminishing margin.

From the outside of the front row Fugitive trained by Cran and Chrissie Dalgety, looked more relaxed for driver Carter Dalgety when the field was dispatched.

“That’s probably a good attribute. He does relax. Over the last couple of weeks it was probably just me getting excited. I had my head screwed on tonight and he was pretty clean,” Carter said.

Fitzroy took up the role of pacemaker and although Dalgety had a couple of tries to get to the front, it wasn’t there.

“I thought that might be the case, but I didn’t  want to have a go. We had a crack and used a lot of petrol.”

From there Fugitive had to sit parked and at the end of the 1700 metres he withstood a late run from Allamericanplayer to win by a neck.

“I’m so thrilled he’s got the final. He’s been so good in the heats. He was jig jogging the whole way round. I saw Chris Alford (Fitzroy) go for his plugs early, I was left out in front and was a bit worried about the swoopers but when I got the plugs out he found another kick. He had the hardest run and he was the best horse.”

FUGITIVE REPLAY

The winning time was 2-02.4 just under a second outside the race record of 2-01.5 recorded by 2018 winner Jessie Duke.

It was the second win in the Cardigan Bay Stakes for Kentuckiana Lodge. They won the feature with Krug in 2020.

Fugitive was bought out of the 2023 NZB Standardbred Weanling Sale for $21,000.

“He was a cheap buy so it proves they can come from anywhere.”

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink