“A lot of the good judges are telling me that is the perfect lead-up to the Thorndon, so I think we go to the Telegraph, even though we can’t win it,” says Patterson. “That should clean her up nicely for the Thorndon, then we aim at the Group 1s we won last season, the Herbie Dyke [$450,000 at Te Rapa on February 11] and the Bonecrusher NZ Stakes [$320,000 at Pukekohe on March 11].”
That would still leave Coventina Bay with the option of the NZ Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes, also at Group 1 level, to end her career in early April, with Patterson suggesting she will be sold once she finishes racing, with at least two overseas buyers already making inquiries.
Although expected to be outpaced in the Telegraph, Coventina Bay is the $8 fourth favourite, with Levante heading the market at $3.20.
Carter’s career change Young reinsman Carter Dalgety might have to start taking his driving career a little more seriously after the biggest win of his career on Saturday.
The 19-year-old son of trainers Cran and Chrissie Dalgety drove their stable star Krug to an effortless win in the $100,000 Invercargill Cup, the first Group 1 held in Southland.
Dalgety was a talented first XV rugby player in Canterbury and still plays to a high level and seemed to get into race driving last year almost for fun as well as studying at university and, of all things, developing his own casual clothing line.
His natural sporting ability, a combination of timing and the ability to understand the importance of momentum and oxygen debt has quickly made him one of the more promising young drivers in the country and he says a career in the sulky now looms.
“I hadn’t really thought about it much when I started driving but it has gone so well and I’ve had such great support, I can see myself doing it more for a job now,” says Dalgety.
“I’m loving it and I love this horse [Krug], so to win my first Group 1 on him for Mum and Dad is unbelievable.”