Racing: Dalgety keen to see 'Bit Of A Legend' take control

Bit Of A Legend (red and white colours) has great form on both sides of the Tasman and will be hard to beat at Alexandra Park today. Photo / Stuart McCormick

Trainer Cran Dalgety will have some simple instructions for champion driver Dexter Dunn before today's $225,000 Sales Series Pace at Alexandra Park.

"Go to the front, stay there and win," says Dalgety.

And if that means their charge Bit Of A Legend sets the race up for one of his rivals - like potential trailer Classiesistar - then so be it.

"We think he is the best horse in the race so there is no point getting too complicated," says Dalgety.

"He is at his peak now, he has high gate speed and if we stay in front and something is good enough to come beat us then that is the way it goes.

"But the way he is working I think he is ready to do the job."

Bit Of A Legend usually is in the biggest races,winning the 2-year-old division of this series last season as well as the A$312,000 Australasian Breeders Crown.

He has extreme gate speed - punctuated by the occasional early wobble- but Dalgety doesn't expect the latter to be a problem today.

"He has been good this campaign and while he was beaten in front last start it wasn't really his fault.

"He did plenty of work early and it took a good one in Ohoka Punter coming up the passing lane to down us, and he isn't in this week.

"He is 101 per cent ready and while you can never be too cocky going into races worth this much money I am sure he will be very hard to beat."

Bit Of A Legend trying for an all-the-way win - if he is able to make the front - makes Classiesistar his biggest danger.

He ran an enormous sixth after galloping in a similar field last start and sitting in the trail today he would be a worthy opponent for the favourite over the last 400m.

His biggest concern would be the lack of pressure expected mid race, unless a freegoer like Mista Mara was sent on a mission. The enigma of the race for punters is Five Card Draw.

Last season's best juvenile has been good without sparkling this season and has a horror draw, from where he will be giving the other favourites a decent start and without an obvious tow into the race.

He could need to produce a career-best performance to win.

The Mark Purdon runner Arden Rooney has been running consistently in this grade and looks an ideal trifecta chance, particularly as he runs on at the end of his races so should be suited by his second-line draw.

Cyamach is another with each-way prospects.

While Dalgety is brimming with confidence about Bit Of A Legend today he is not so bubbly about last season's leading juvenile filly Onlyforyou in the Sires' Stakes Championship. She has raced flat this campaign and has a second-line draw, while unbeaten filly Adore Me gets the ace.

"I am not sure she could beat Adore Me anyway, because she is racing a bit better than my filly at the moment. But I see her leading and our filly having to do the work, which is a very hard way to win a group one.

"So while I am going into the race happy with my filly, I am not confident we can win."