A visit to Oamaru tomorrow is part of a grand plan for Cran Dalgety as he chases the New Zealand Cup, which has eluded him so far in his 23-year training career.
Dalgety brings the warm New Zealand Cup favourite Christen Me to Oamaru for the group 3 Hannon Memorial in a departure from his plan in recent years.
The pacer began this year's campaign with a win in the Maurice Holmes Vase last week before Dalgety nominated his stable star for tomorrow's $25,000 feature.
''They were the only two races I really cemented in,'' Dalgety said.
''I initially hadn't gone to [the Hannon] in the last two years, but I just put a wee bit more to him this year pre-mid November. That was in the plan and what happens in the next two or three weeks, I'm just guessing.''
Dalgety has gone close in previous editions of the New Zealand Cup.
His closest brush with the ultimate prize in New Zealand pacing came in 2009 with Bettor's Strike's runner-up finish to Monkey King.
Christen Me's two bids at the two miles at Addington produced a third in 2013 and a fifth after he bombed the start in last year's edition.
Those bad standing-start manners were not evident in last week's Vase and Dalgety felt a clean getaway was almost as important as the win.
''He actually got a bit of a squeeze after 50m and I thought `this will test him' but he bored his way through,'' Dalgety said.
''As you know, that probably cost him the cup last year, when he screwed up the start and got too excited. I was just excited to get away swiftly as well as win the race, really.''
Some might have expected Christen Me to pull away from his rivals in the home straight last week, but both Jason Rulz and Choise Achiever put pressure on over the last 250m.
''He's won just, but he probably would have just won if we had gone another lap,'' Dalgety said.
The final 50m probably told the true story about Christen Me, though. He realised the chasers were descending, clicked up a notch and won the race by half a neck.
''Since we've taken the Murphy blind off him, he kicks a wee bit more to the finish,'' Dalgety said.
''He used to swoosh up to them so quick and he would get to a cruise mode. A lot of the times he was just buttoning off on us. If we had the Murphy on that night, he would have been much the same because he wouldn't have seen them, so we were a bit lucky there.''
Dalgety will be looking for more precise behaviour at the start from his other two runners in the Hannon Memorial - Bit Of A Legend and Mighty Flying Mac.
Bit Of A Legend recovered well from his poor start to run on for sixth.
''He covered a little bit of extra ground being wide and back - sure, he didn't feature in the finish but he got home as good as the majority of the field.
''[Mighty Flying Mac] was just too fresh and frisky at the start - we're going to take the boring pole off him - he was wound up like a spring and just made a hash of it.''
Someone thinks Christen Me is capable of winning tomorrow.
New Zealand TAB fixed odds bookmaker Richard Wilson said a $6000 bet at $1.33 was placed on Thursday night.
Three questions for the Hannon
Try and beat 'Me'
The evidence from last week's Maurice Holmes Vase would suggest not. Sure, he wasn't the most convincing winner, but it's what he did in the last 50m that was most important. Jason Rulz and Choise Achiever made ground but the reigning horse of the year switched back on in the closing stages and had a bit to spare. Only bad luck or a muffed start should keep him from claiming the Hannon.
A Savea talent
He's one of the rising stars in the open-class ranks and why wouldn't he be? The 6yr-old has won 11 of his 18 starts in an interrupted career, but his 2014 Invercargill Cup win gave us some idea of his talent. Blair Orange has said he will go anywhere to drive him - after Orange's stellar season last year, that's a pretty darn good guide as to Saveapatrol's ability.
Jason Rulz, OK?
Speed isn't the issue for Jason Rulz - just that step up to the next level. He zipped home in the Maurice Holmes Vase, but that's his modus operandi most times he lines up in group races. If you look back at his performances in major races, there are a lot of placings, with two Central Otago Trotting Cups and a Pelorus Classic his main successes. He's almost assured a spot in the New Zealand Cup, going on his ranking, but followers would really like to see him zoom past a top-ranked chance or two to get excited for the second Tuesday in November.
