By Michael Guerin
If tonight's meeting was your usual night at Alexandra Park, Cran Dalgety would be dreaming of a treble.
But there is nothing ordinary about the final night of the Auckland Cup meeting.
Dalgety has his stable big guns in four races and three will start favourite, but the Canterbury trainer knows it won't be as easy as it looks on paper.
"When the big money is up for grabs like it will be here any race is hard to win," he said.
"All my horses are going into their races at peak but really, the fields are so strong it is hard to label any of them a good thing."
But three wins from his five starters is very possible for Dalgety tonight.
In fact, the only trainers going to The Park with more confidence tonight would be Bruce Negus and Mark Purdon
Negus can start counting the money for the Sales Series Pace with Courage Under Fire even from a second line draw.
And Mark Purdon has a stranglehold on the Lion Red Challenge Trot with Merinai, Pride Of Petite and Sundon's Way, while he should also dominate the night's main free-for-all with Brabham and Bogan Fella.
But tonight could belong to Dalgety. Classy Filly looks perfectly placed in the $70,000 Sires Stakes Fillies Champs, with stablemate Fearless Freda a handy back-up, while brothers London Express and London Pride will be perfectly suited by the conditions of their races.
Dalgety is even thrilled with the condition of Smooth Trickster in the last race but knows he faces a horror assignment.
"It is tough for a horse in that grade when he comes up against two very smart ones like Cigar and New York Fella."
But by that stage of the night Dalgety should have at least a couple of wins on the board.
Classy Filly will be the stable's centre of attention tonight even though she has looked slightly disappointing this season.
"She has taken a while to reach her peak because she was as fat as an elephant when she came back into work," said Dalgety.
"But the way she has worked this week I think she is ready for a big one."
Classy Filly has a dynamic sprint if saved and should get that opportunity tonight as she starts from the ace, from where she should be able to hold her position before trailing Stylish Sweetheart.
With Stylish Sweetheart bound to stay in front for most of the 1700m trip, Classy Filly will get few better opportunities to unleash her explosive sprint.
London Pride's form may not be that hot but Dalgety was happy with his run from a tough handicap in a capacity field last week.
"He didn't have any luck and is probably better when saved for one run off a hot pace, so this sort of race should suit," he said.
"If he can get across and get the right run I know he is well enough to test the open class horses in the field."
London Pride may still be two wins off open class but his tighter-assessed opponents tonight - Anvil Vance, Adio Routine and Bold Kamwood - have not been showing their best in the past month.
His little brother London Express appears to only have one serious threat to his unbeaten record in the juvenile race.
The muscular baby sat parked before downing speedy filly Adios Dream in the Cardigan Bay Stakes last week but reports from the South Island suggest the latter's stablemate, Tupelo Rose, is even better.
The In The Pocket filly makes her debut from two barriers inside London Express tonight and after some sensational trials efforts will be heavily-supported.
But it is a huge ask for a juvenile filly to beat an experienced colt at her first start, especially on a foreign track.
Horse Racing: Dalgety chasing rich treble
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.