Recovery the main aim before Inter heat

This week will be about pampering him, not training him….

That was the call from leading harness racing mentor Cran Dalgety when discussing Christen Me’s build up to Saturday night’s Inter Dominion Supplementary heat at Tabcorp Park Menangle.

With the outstanding pacer “shagged” following last weekend’s A G Hunter Cup, Dalgety will give Christen Me “a very quiet week.”

“He was pretty tired the next day, as was I, but he is better at recovering,” Dalgety said. “The couple of hard runs in a week left him shagged, but he is mature and strong enough to handle it.

“He made the road trip up to Sydney yesterday, now this week will about pampering him, not training him.

“He’ll have a very quiet week, just a light jog or two, but the main goal of the week is to re-energise him.”

Drawn wide in barrier 10, Christen Me will slot into eight with the removal of the emergencies, with his stablemate Bit Of A Legend to come out of four.

The pair have to finish among the placings to be guaranteed a berth in the $750,000 Final on March 1.

“Christen Me’s draw will be quite tricky,” Dalgety said. “Having to finish in the top three will test everyone, including Christen Me.

“Bit Of A Legend has drawn slight better and will get his chance.

“Easy On The Eye is the likely leader from three, which probably makes him the one to beat.

“Terror To Love at his best is the one to beat, but he was pretty shagged after the Hunter Cup too, so it’s hard to gauge where he is at.

“He needs to reverse his form around and it won’t be easy from barrier six.”

• PAUL COURTS