Racing: Record return for bad boy Delft

The drive from Alexandra Park to Waiuku was a little easier last night for leading trainer Michelle Wallis.

The 2005 Auckland Cup Carnival had been disappointing for Wallis but the stable fired yesterday when Waitfornoone and Delft won.

The performance by former trotting bad-boy Delft was staggering.

The 7-year-old has the physique and motor to match it with the best free-for-all trotters but unfortunately he lacks intelligence.

Delft was not in a caring mood in the $50,000 New Zealand National Trot handing out a ruthless five-length, front-running thumping to Pompallier and Martina H in the 2700m mobile feature.

He covered the distance in 3.23.4 (mile rate 2.01.3) with closing 800m and 400m sectional times of 58.5 and 29.4 seconds, and bettering the New Zealand mark by .8 of a second.

Wallis has staggering news heading into next month's Inter Dominion Carnival in Melbourne.

"That run in the National Trot will only improve him as he's a long way off peak fitness," said Wallis.

"We've really ended up behind the eight ball with Delft as he banged a leg when rolling around in a paddock at Christchurch and that meant we missed out on racing at the New Zealand Cup Carnival.

"This was only his third run back from a spell and I think he's still a few races off hitting that hard fitness he showed during the Inter Dominion Carnival earlier this year.

"He was a little unlucky in his last start at Cambridge when finishing eighth behind Allegro Agitato.

"The horse wanted to trot into a gap that wasn't there in the home stretch and the driver [Todd MacFarlane] had to take hold of him and he didn't like it and flew into a gallop.

"I knew if he went away with the field in this race that from the draw he'd be a good chance of running in the money."

Yesterday's favourite, Allegro Agitato, could only manage fifth.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY