Racing: Smiling Shard gives trainer pause for thought

Smiling Shard. Photo / Richard Robinson.

Trainer Cran Dalgety will wait until the emotion of yesterday's remarkable Kaikoura Cup win subsides before deciding whether Smiling Shard gets his chance in Tuesday's New Zealand Trotting Cup.

The pocket rocket roared around the unsuitably flat Kaikoura track, sitting three wide without cover for the last lap to break the hearts of some of our better open class pacers.

His determination saw him overcome being slow away to hold out Highview Tommy in one of the bravest open class wins by a 4-year-old in New Zealand pacing for over a decade.

But while the win left Dalgety wiping a tear of joy from his eyes, it also left him with a tough decision.

Smiling Shard was not in the original nominations for next Tuesday's $750,000 Cup at Addington so his owners, which include Dalgety, will have to pay a $17,500 late entry fee to get him into the race.

But Dalgety says the money is not the issue - he is not sure Smiling Shard is ready for our toughest harness race.

"Today's win was wonderful but he might have to go 3:57 for 3200m next week and that is another level up altogether," he admits.

"I am not sure he needs to be doing that but we will go home, watch the replay and then try and be unemotional about it when we make a final decision tomorrow morning."

Dalgety has a perfect standard to compare Smiling Shard with as he also trains last season's Cup runner-up Bettors Strike. "And to be honest at the moment I don't think he can beat Bettors Strike, let alone Stunin Cullen.

"So at this stage I am favouring not starting next week, but if the other owners really want to go then we will have a crack."

That will stifle betting on the Cup until Dalgety's decision is made because on yesterday's performance he would slot in as fourth favourite if he does start. If he doesn't then the winner of the great race wasn't at Kaikoura yesterday.

While Highview Tommy was good in finishing a close second he was clearly outpointed by Cup favourite Stunin Cullen at Ashburton last week and it is hard to see him turning that around.

Sleepy Tripp was fantastic storming home from last at the 400m to finish third yesterday but he continues to be slow away from the start.

As a former New Zealand Derby winner he may be a New Zealand Cup winner of the future but it is hard to see how he can be slow and give Stunin Cullen, Smoken Up or even Smiling Shard a start next week.

Of the rest Bondy was all right but looks below his Hunter Cup winning form of February while the remainder can't win the Cup unless the big names have bad luck while they improve a long way.

While Smiling Shard provided the fireworks yesterday there was plenty to like about Auckland pacer Toledo's win in the other main pace, the $50,000 PGG Wrightson Sales Pace.

The son of two former national mile record holders in Christian Cullen and Scuse Me, Toledo has started to live up to his breeding this season.

He cruised along in the one-one yesterday before putting the race to bed before the home turn, with his time comparable with that paced in the Kaikoura Cup.

That capped a big week for trainer Gareth Dixon and it is easy to imagine Toledo working his way toward open class now he has developed the strength to match his natural ability.

Meanwhile, two of the serious New Zealand Cup contenders will have their final public hitouts at the Ashburton workouts today. Cup favourite Stunin Cullen, who got out to $2 last night, will clash with Bettors Strike in a 2400m standing start heat.

"I think that suits us better than the Cup trial at Addington a day later because we can go as fast or as slow as we want," said Stunin Cullen's trainer Tim Butt.

And Australian staying star Smoken Up will fly into Christchurch tonight for the Cup fresh from a 1:53.4 mile win at Menangle on Friday night.

TRICKY DECISION

* Smiling Shard records a stunning performance in the $50,000 Kaikoura Cup.
* His connections now need to decide whether to pay the $17,500 late entry fee into next Tuesday's New Zealand Trotting Cup.
* Trainer Cran Dalgety says that will be decided this morning.
* Auckland pacer Toledo wins the day's other $50,000 pace