Cran Dalgety feels like he’s gone full circle.
Almost 30 years ago, when he was around the same age as his young gun son Carter, Dalgety made his first trip to Melbourne as a trainer chasing a dream.
Desperate Comment delivered that dream, upstage one of the all-time great Victoria Cup fields to win it in 1996. The beaten brigade included Master Musician, Jack Morris, Sunshine Band, Young Mister Charles, Norms Daughter and Brabham were amongst the beaten brigade).
A year later, Dalgety returned with Desperate Comment and did it again.
The field was almost as strong. He beat Iraklis, Our Sir Vancelot, Norms Daughter, Brabham and others.
It was an era when Dalgety, Mark and Barry Purdon and Anthony and Tim Butt crossed the ditch and successfully flew the Kiwi flag in Australia’s biggest races, especially at Moonee Valley.
It also launched a chapter where NZ’s open class stars were, just generally, better than ours.
Fast-forward to now, in a phase where it’s the Aussies dominating the open-class majors in this part of the world, and Dalgety is warming to a familiar.
“It does feel a bit like those early days at the Valley,” Dalgety said. “Only this time we’re trying to beat the Aussies in our backyard.”
Dalgety and his latest stable star Republican Party looks by far the best Kiwi hope of fending off the Aussie raiders in tomorrow (Tuesday) week’s $NZ1 million IRT NZ Trotting Cup.
And Kiwi pride is on the line.
Australia – or Swayzee to be precise – has won the past two NZ Cups, the biggest race of any code in NZ.
Sadly, Swayzee won’t be returning to chase a three-peat after an interrupted campaign and untimely cold.
But Leap To Fame and Kingman – Australia’s two top pacing seeds – will be there.
A couple of months ago, Dalgety, like most people, felt Republican Party would be chasing something like his third placing in last year’s NZ Cup.
But things have changed … on two fronts.
Republican Party has gone to another level. He’s just so dominant in NZ.
There was real arrogance about the way he toyed with his rivals in last Monday’s Ashburton Flying Stakes.
Importantly, he did it from the front, rather than stalking.
Hold that thought for a moment.
The other change? Leap To Fame’s two recent Melton defeats.
Regardless of how you look at them, it’s taken away one of his greatest weapons, something he’s earned over time … the power of intimidation.
Dalgety’s son Carter with Republican Party, and I suspect Luke McCarthy with Kingman, now won’t surrender the lead if they get their before Leap To Fame.
“No, we’ve got a horse now we think can and should be driven to win the race, not look for an easier run to finish second or third,” Dalgety said.
“It’s been two years getting him here and now he’s ready. If Leap To Fame comes looking and we’re in front, Carter won’t be handing over.
“I’ve been trying to win this race for 35 years, this is my best chance. He’s going so well, I’d rather go down fighting than wonder what might have been.
“Just maybe Leap To Fame has come back to us a bit, too. Even the great champions have a period of dominance where they are almost unstoppable. He’s certainly had that, but those couple of defeats in Melbourne, especially the Victoria Cup, when he had to do the work outside the leader, gives us hope.”
Dalgety also takes heart from how close Republican Party got to Leap To Fame in the Hunter Cup earlier this year.
“I know my horse is better than he was then, quite a bit better,” he said.
Fittingly, Dalgety will likely bring Republican Party back to Melbourne early next year to chase the Hunter Cup again.
It’ll be the 30th anniversary since Desperate Comment’s first Victoria Cup win at the same time of year.
