By Tayler Strong
Pat’s Delight is expected to clinch a berth in the Harness Jewels for 2yr-old colts and geldings with a win at Forbury Park tonight (Thursday).
Pat’s Delight (race 6) is eleventh in qualifying order in stake earnings for the HJ restricted to a maximum of 13 starters in each race.
The Bettor’s Delight – Righteous Franco colt, trained by Cran Dalgety and driven by Dexter Dunn, was successful against older horses at Forbury Park on March 30 at his second start. Pat’s Delight ran the 2200m from the mobile gate in 2.43.4, 0.5sec outside the track record for a 3-year-old and won by three and a half lengths.
He has since had three starts all against his own age, for an eighth in the Welcome Stakes, a fourth in a Sires’ Stakes heat and a win at Addington over 1950m (mobile) in a 1.56.3 mile rate.
Sweet Mary, who is twelfth in qualifying order the 2-year-old fillies section of the Harness Jewels, will come in for close attention in race 10. Sweet Mary won against older horses at Rangiora on April 9 and finished third there a fortnight later.
Glenisthebettor could prove a formidable opponent for Sweet Mary. Glenisthebettor has won twice at Forbury Park in her last three starts and finished fifth there last after being held up in the closing stages in a fast run race.
Poppymalda, who resumed on a winning note at Gore five days ago, could carry on in race 8. It was her first race for close on 17 months. She has won twice at Forbury Park.
Seaswift Joy, who is in the $140,000 Final of the Nevele R Series for 3-year-old fillies at Addington on Friday night, is back in the West Melton stable of Malcolm Shinn. Jim Curtin is her new driver.
Seaswift Joy has campaigned from the Wyndham stable of Gordon and Colin Lee since mid-December, winning six of her 11 starts and minor placing in three others with Gordon Lee the driver. She won a heat of the Nevele R series at Methven, her fifth win in a row. Shinn shared the ownership of the 1983 Nevele R series final winner, Preferred with the late Wayne Francis. Preferred was trained by brother Ian Shinn.
Curtin drove Solberge to win the 1999 Nevele R Final for owner –trainer Jim Dalgety, father of Cran, who has Bonnie Joan in the final on Friday night. Cran trained the 2001 winner Sparks A Flyin, driven by Mark Jones.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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