Pat’s Delight is on target for the New Zealand Free-For-All after a scintillating fresh up win in the Selwyn Paul Memorial Tuapeka Cup at Forbury Park today.
Pat’s Delight eclipsed his eight rivals in close to track record time in his first race since he won the Harness Jewels for 3yr-old colts and geldings at Cambridge in June. Pat’s Delight ran the 2700m in 3.21.6, 0.3sec outside the track mark set by Wrath Of Robyn in 2015.
Driver Ricky May sent Pat’s Delight to the front at the 1200m after starting from 30m and the son of Bettor’s Delight – Righteous Franco cleared out in the closing stages to win by six and three quarter lengths, the last 800m in 56.1.
“Cran (Dalgety, the trainer) told me to drive him like that. He needed a decent run with the NZ Free-For-All in mind,’’ said May.
It was May’s fourth win in the Tuapeka Cup, the first with Abbeyshrule in 1999 and the others with Owaka Jack (2001) and Explosive Art (2014).
“He did begin very well so that’s a bonus. Many people have told me about Eamon Maguire last year. There was only nine in it (Tuapeka Cup) and he was hot favourite, off thirty (metres) and he only beat one home. It’s very hard to catch a front runner if they run like rabbits up front. He (Pat’s Delight) began well and Ricky at the mile rolled to the top. Then he controlled his own last mile so he didn’t turn into being a chaser. So a smart drive from Ricky,” said Dalgety.
Pat’s Delight, raced by breeders Pat and Margaret Kubala, of Gore, has now won 10 of his 22 starts and $194,000 in stakes.
“He (Pat’s Delight) has just strengthened up so much. I wanted to give him a decent break after the Jewels and that ruled out the NZ Cup this year,’’ said Pat Kubala.
“I couldn’t be more pleased with the way things have gone.”
Dalgety said he had the option of racing at Ashburton tomorrow or Tuapeka.
“We tossed the coin between the Ashburton Handicap and this race. What swayed us was Pat living down there (in Gore) and being an older man he doesn’t come to Canterbury a lot. So I thought it was a great opportunity to show him off to him. The stakes and handicap were similar and it’s only another couple of hours down the road. We were lucky enough to get some happy owners,” he said.
Dalgety says Pat’s Delight has developed into an impressive four year old stallion.
“It’s interesting. You see a lot of age group two and three year olds have a hollow four year old year. I don’t know how it works. When we turned him out he had six weeks and he just went from being a boy to a man in physique. We’ve been able to lift his work load and the intensity a bit higher and he’s accepted it so that’s been exciting. From Jewels Day to now he could be 26-28 kg’s heavier. I’m sure he’ll get a touch better too.”
Dalgety says he is considering the Kaikoura Cup as an option prior to the FFA but other than that he’ll remain close to home.
“He’ll stay pretty tight now.”
With today’s driver Ricky May committed to AG’s White Socks, Dalgety may have to look for another driver but he’s pretty relaxed about making that call.
“I’m not one to plan too far ahead because it blows up in your face. I’ll naturally throw Ricky in the mix. If he can drive him that’s great if he can’t he can’t.”
Trainer Dalgety and May also won with Buzinga and Just Dance. The stable had four horses at the meeting in charge of Dalgety’s son, Carter.
Buzinga a 3yr-old Bettor’s Delight – Safedra filly scored comfortably after racing in the open over 1700m.
It was her third win in four starts.
Just Dance stormed home wide out. She is raced by the Woodlands Partnership syndicate No 23, Kieran Read and Andy Ellis.
Taylor Strong with quotes obtained by Bruce Stewart
Southland Harness Racing