Queensland holiday looms large for Dalgety
Garrick Knight - Raceform • July 3rd, 2025 3:45 PM • 4 min read
After more than a month of hard winter mahi while his parents holidayed, Carter Dalgety is looking forward to getting away himself at the end of next week.
Dalgety has held the fort at home while the family stable’s trainers, Cran and Chrissie, holidayed in Europe.
“They’re finally back this week after going over to the Elitloppet in Sweden,” Dalgety told RaceForm.
The new pin-up boy of New Zealand harness racing is off the Queensland for the Australasian Young Drivers Championship, which kicks off on July 15 at Albion Park to coincide with the Inter Dominions.
“I can’t wait to get over there to the warmer weather with the other lads. It should be a great week.”
Before that, Dalgety has unfinished business at home, namely six stable runners to prepare for Addington on Friday night, as well as a handful of outside drives.
Two fillies, Sugar Babe and Forever Dream, will don the famous maroon and white colours in the night’s final event, the $16,000 Gold Band Taxis Mobile Pace.
Dalgety will drive the one he says is the more proven commodity at this stage, Forever Dream, while Blair Orange picks up the drive on last-start maiden winner Sugar Babe.
“Sugar Babe was nice early on – good enough to go in an early juvenile race – and then we got nothing but bad luck with her.”
The result was a more than 14 months between her first and second starts.
“She got caught in a fence, then once that was sorted, she dropped a bit of weight and we had to turn her out again.
“It was probably a blessing in disguise, to be honest, because she’s a pretty nice filly and the extra time has done her the world of good.”
Dalgety expects Orange to lead on her.
“I don’t think he’ll have a lot of choice; she’ll come out on her own because she can get a bit keen. There’s still a bit to learn and I think after a few more starts, she’ll have a freshen up then be set for the spring.”
Forever Dream was a Group Three winner as a juvenile and also ran fourth behind Captains Mistress in the Gr. 1 Sires Stakes Fillies Championship back in November.
“She’s been there and done it and has the measure on Sugar Babe when it comes to being race-hardened.”
It’s a comparable situation in the $18,000 Dallas & Sam Boyd Mobile Pace. The stable has two runners, with Dalgety driving the more proven Spirit Of Anarchy while Orange pilots Magician.
“Spirit Of Anarachy is just so wicked off the gate, that speed has to be used. He gets his chance this week because he’s down in grade from what he’s been racing.
“That being said, last week he had every chance to win and probably should have, so running fourth was a bit of a disappointment.”
Magician, a half-brother to Merlin and full to Captains Mistress, is second-up on a new campaign after an adequate seventh.
“He’s just a typical racehorse – lacks a bit of x-factor, but consistent enough. He’s a good-doing bastard and will probably need a few more runs to get to full fitness.”
Three-year-old maiden fillies Bettor Than Lizzy and Delighted are yet another stable pairing in the same race. The former is on debut, while the latter was unplaced in two Southland runs to open her career.
“They’re no world-beaters,” said Dalgety. “And they’ve got the two worst draws, so it’s going to be very hard for them this week.”
Dalgety has three outside drives – Ebury Street, Sheila Laxon and a former stable runner in Chicago Bear, who is now on the beach with Bob Butt.
“Chicago Bear has been trialling up super for Bob. I drove him last week and he gave me a great feel. We had a few issues with him so sent him out there and it appears have done wonders for him.
“Ebury Street looks like she drops back in to a nice race this week and I think she’ll be a good chance, too.”
Stable star Republican Party is currently on a water-walker regime as a transition between his spell and return to training.
“He had four weeks in the paddock and has had three weeks on the water walker with two more to come. We didn’t want to give him eight weeks in a paddock, because, being a six-year-old stallion, there was a risk he could lose a bit of interest in racing.”
Top filly Beside Me joined him at Brian Court’s property on Tuesday to begin her stint.
“She’s had six weeks out and will now spend all of July on the water walker before returning to the stable.”
And the forgotten horse of the stable, former Group One winner All You Need Is Me, is nearing a racetrack return.
“She’s had a good break, and I have to say I am very happy with her and how she is training. She went through a bit of a hollow patch – whether it was a mares’ seasonal thing, I’m not sure – but she’s come through that and, touch wood, things are going smoothly for her now.
“There’s not a lot of expectation on her now, but hopefully she can get back to something like her form as a three-year-old.”
