By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk
Driver Carter Dalgety declared the “dream is alive” following Republican Party’s impressive win in the Lamb and Hayward Canterbury Classic at Addington.
Trained by his parents Cran and Chrissie Dalgety, the pacer known as “Stu” was just too good for his rivals in the Group 2 feature.
He was the first to move and took the lead at the 1500 metre mark and never looked in danger as they cleared out by three lengths.
It was Republican Party’s second win in the Classic after taking it out two years ago.
The Classic is the last automatic qualifier for the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup, at Addington on Tuesday November 11, though Republican Party had already sealed his place in the great race by winning the 2024 Auckland Cup.
He has now won two in a row this campaign and on the back of his latest victory his odds for the Cup have gone from $9 to $7. It will be his third New Zealand Cup after finishing third last year and fifth in 2023.
“He’s amazing, I’m a bit speechless after that,” Carter Dalgety said post race.
“He really has gone to another level … the dream is alive.”
Don’t Stop Dreaming and Alta Meteor both continued their good form of late to fill the minors with Merlin getting back and running on to finish fifth.
In the night’s feature trot, the R D Butt Canterbury Park Trotting Cup, Muscle Mountain again showed his class by coming from last at the 800 metres to win quite comfortably in the end from a very game Eurostyle.
The millionaire trotter was at generous odds at $6.90 with Oscar Bonavena heavily backed into $1.60 and Mighty Logan at $5.50.
Oscar Bonavena appeared to get a good trip but driver and co-trainer Mark was “disappointed” with the way his star trotter finished off the race.
Muscle Mountain was driven conservatively by co-trainer Ben Hope but unleashed to overtake Eurostyle who looked an upset winner 200 metres out.
It was Muscle Mountain’s second win in the race and his 38th overall.
“He is a superstar and I’m so proud to drive him,” Hope said post race.
With the race being the last of the automatic qualifiers for the Renwick Farms Dominion Trot Muscle Mountain also seals his place in the $400,000 Group 1 on the second Tuesday of November.
It is one of the few races the multiple Group 1 winner has not won.
On an action packed night Habibti Pat defeated star northerner Meant To Be in the 3YO Trot, favourite Greased Lightnin pounced late to take out the Garrards Sires’ Stakes Sophomore Classic and Hayden Douglas secured his first win at Addington after Franco Sinatra staged a huge finish to win at big odds.
His return was nothing compared to the Michael House-trained The Next Best Thing. Driven by Sam Thornley, he won the last, paying $161.40. It’s believed to be a modern day record.