Kiwi stars ready to raid Queensland

Top harness racing trainer Cran Dalgety says he was glad he was in the grandstand when his stable star Krug was beaten at the IRT Harness Jewels meeting on Sunday.

Had Dalgety been closer to the track as Krug threw away the race in the last 100m he doubts he would have been able to control himself.

Krug, the double Derby winner of this three-year-old crop, was gifted the Jewels when a late pre-race change of tactics saw key rival B D Joe lead and give Krug the trail.

Even allowing for the slow pace Krug worked through on the passing lane to hit the lead at the 100m mark yet B D Joe fought back to beat him and Dalgety is adamant he knows why.

“The winner was great because he did all the work but our fella threw it away,” says Dalgety.

“It was his race to win and he goofed around and didn’t knuckle down. It is a colt thing, taking life too casually. It happens sometimes but he picked a bad day to be a lazy bugger.”

Dalgety says that lack of effort at the crucial moment means Krug bounced out of the race feeling good, so he joins what is a near full strength Kiwi assault on the rich Queensland carnival.

He will be on a plane on Friday morning alongside Amazing Dream and the Ray Green-trained quartet of Copy That, American Dealer, Tommy Lincoln and Captain Nemo.

“We might contest the Redcliffe Derby but the big aims are The Rising Sun and the Queensland Derby,” says Dalgety.

“Blair (Orange) will drive him in those big ones, but we might use a pick up driver if he goes to the Redcliffe Derby.”

The Rising Sun is the new $250,000 race for mainly four-year-olds but with two three-year-olds invited, so Krug could take on Amazing Dream and Copy That there, all three beaten Jewels favourites.

Copy That and American Dealer passed blood tests yesterday, which cleared them of any viral complaints after Sunday, so are all systems go for Queensland.

“We all fly out Friday but I don’t think any of mine will race there until June 26,” says Green.

“The blood came back fine so we are going to put Sunday behind us and give them their chance.”

Green confirmed Copy That already has pads placed under his shoes to help with any hoof issues and he could be the big Jewels bounce back horse if he was able to find his favoured pacemaking role around Albion Park.

Copy That and Amazing Dream could contest the Rising Sun as well as open class races culminating in the Blacks A Fake at Albion Park on July 24.

Many of the other stars from Sunday’s mega meeting, like Bettor Twist and A Bettor You as well as all three trotting winners, are already heading to the paddock.

By Michael Guerin for HRV