By Duane Ranger
Frank Cooney and Tate Hopkins only have one horse nominated for tonight’s meeting at Alexandra Park – and Gotta Go Dali Queen can win.
“She’s got a heap of gate speed but we won’t be asking Maurie (McKendry) to bust her gut. We just want to get her around safely and then head to the Jewels,” said Hopkins.
The 25-year-old Taupaki horseman will have his first Jewels starter as a co-trainer and owner. He has a half-share in Gotta Go Dali Queen with her Northland breeder, Sue Martin.
“It’s a bit of an honour to own and train one good enough to qualify for the Jewels. We will be trying to win on Friday but the Jewels is where it’s at. After her Jewels run she will be tipped out and then we will do it all again when she comes back from a spell,” Hopkins said.
“The 2018 Jewels at Cambridge will be her priority next season,” he added.
Cooney and Hopkins have had one Jewels starter. That was last year when Eclipse Me finished 12th in the 3-year-old Diamond for pacing fillies at Cambridge Raceway.
Gotta Go Dali Queen will line up in this year’s 3-year-old Diamond with McKendry in the bike. She is ranked eighth and netted $39,139 in stakes in 2016-2017 – $273,315 less than top qualifier, Spanish Armada.
Hopkins said he approached Martin a couple of years ago just as she was shifting further north. He said he made a deal with her on a couple of horses – one of which was Gotta Go Dali Queen.
“She’s a lovely filly and Maurie has done a splendid job with her since day one. he’s really looked after her. She’s got the draw to go close tonight – and we certainly want to win, but there will be no gut-buster for her with Ashburton next week her main and final mission for the season,” Hopkins said.
Gotta Go Dali Queen is the second of four foals out of the Christian Cullen – Elect To Live, Martin trained four-win mare, Gotta Go Harmony.
That now 10-year-old mare won the Harness Jewels Group One 2-year-old Diamond Pace back in 2009.
Gotta Go Dali Queen has won four of her 11 starts and placed in three others. She started her career with a debut win at Alexandra Park on September 2 (over tonight’s 2200m mobile) in 2:43.1.
The talented bay, who won very well (from gate eight) over the mobile mile at ‘The Park’ on May 12, has won all four of her races at northern headquarters, and has nailed three wins and placed twice in five starts over tonight’s 1700m mobile.
The $14,999 Pakauranga Hunt Landowners Mobile for the R76 to R97 pacers will be no easy assignment for Gotta Go Dali Queen.
She is an R77 ranked pacer taking on horses who are rated in their 80s and 90s.
Bet Out Of El (Andre Poutama), Alta Intrigue (Zac Butcher), Jo’s Dream (Todd Mitchell), and Lusty Mac (Philip Butcher) all look the toughest for Gotta Go Dali Queen to get past.
In fact the Mike Berger trained Lusty Mac is the highest ranked pacer in the nine-horse field. Her 97 rating is eight points higher than the Amanda Kiddie trained Jo’s Dream.
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