Christen Me bolted away with his two comeback races at Addington before Dalgety gave him a week off "running around with the cows at my Dad's place".
"He came back refreshed and he was great at the workouts last week.
"So he is spot on whereas I think Terror To Love has some tightening up to do. In saying that, Terror was great winning last start so who knows how much better he can get?
"But more and more it is shaping as they are the two to beat again in the Cup."
Christen Me dominated the early open-class races last season before Terror To Love outpointed him in the Cup, but Dalgety says that may not be so easily achieved this term.
"My horse is more ready for it all now. He has that season of Grand Circuit racing under his belt and he is definitely better than last season.
"But maybe Terror is too."
The glamour pair are drawn alongside each other on the outside of the front line in Friday's 2600m standing-start event, with Adore Me and Hands Christian drawn directly inside them.
Smolda is the main South Island contender for the Cup missing after his work on Monday morning suggested he was better placed waiting a week.
The TAB will open the market on Friday's race at 1pm today and it will be interesting to see which way they lean, especially as Terror To Love is a traditional bookie's favourite but Christen Me always starts red hot.
Addington also hosts a $25,000 open-class trot with the likes of Master Lavros and Habibti with a red-hot Sires' Stakes race and an intermediate grade event, including Tiger Tara.
The Alexandra Park meeting the same night also sees some open-class talent with Pembrook Benny and Easy On The Eye off 30m handicaps in the $20,000 Holmes D G, named in honour of the great horse who won the corresponding race four times.
It will be run just 13 minutes before the Canterbury Classic, meaning most of the serious New Zealand Cup contenders will race on Friday.
