Racing: Dalgety has chances at Winton

BIT OF A LEGEND driven by Dexter Dunn.

You don't win the national premiership without putting in the long hours travelling and trainer Cran Dalgety starts that phase of his season at Winton tomorrow.

Dalgety nosed out Mark Purdon to win his first trainer's premiership at the last meeting of last season and while he was strong in his native Canterbury, his regular forays into Southland and Forbury Park ultimately decided the premiership.

He starts that again tomorrow at the Winton meeting and, while not bringing huge numbers south, he is confident of going away with a win.

"It has been a really good association for us, campaigning horses in the south and gives us options for the owners," says Dalgety.

"And of course having Dexter [Dunn] there to drive them is a big help."

Dalgety hopes Dunn can use his expertise to get Abraxas to the front in one of tomorrow's features, the $10,000 Panpacificflight@Macca Lodge Mobile.

"He is a totally different horse when he can lead," enthuses Dalgety.

"He might only be assessed as a two-win horse but when he leads he races more like an eight-win horse.

"So we think he will be hard to catch and he has a good edge in race fitness."

Abraxas has proven hard to follow since showing plenty of ability as a two-year-old but it took a smart type in Instead Of to down him last start.

Dalgety says while handy mare Optimo Denario goes into the last race tomorrow fresh, she is ready.

"She has had two trials and I am happy with where she is at," he said.

"And this race suits ideally, being a mile fresh-up."

He also expects Digital Art, who starts in race eight, to not be a maiden for long but is less confident with her than her stablemates, as she has drawn the inside of the second line and faces being trapped back on the markers.

There is plenty of local talent on show tomorrow as well, with in-form trotting mare Bet's Best chasing her sixth win from her last seven starts in the main trot.

She faces a 30m handicap though over just 2400m but should be aided by the small field.

And Hamish Hunter brings out two of the higher-rated Southland maidens, in Astro Boy (race four) and Pay Me Mach (race seven).

Astro Boy was dynamic winning all his Canterbury workouts last campaign before being purchased for decent money and will be very hard to beat.

And Pay Me Mach is one of the more exciting young pacers in the region and even a second line draw shouldn't be enough to stop him from winning.