By Michael Guerin
Christen Me’s career is about to get even more serious as trainer Cran Dalgety aims to make him New Zealand richest ever harness horse.
The champion pacer is just six weeks away from racing but his next victory should be even sooner as he is favoured to win the Horse of the Year in Christchurch on August 8.
But while he is already at the top of the pacing world, Christen Me is going to be asked for a lot more performances next season like the ones that won him the Miracle Mile, Victoria, Auckland and Easter Cups this term.
“I don’t mean to sound like a dick considering what he did last campaign, but I am sure he is a better horse now,” said Dalgety.
“He is bigger and stronger and I am sure he will be a better overall horse next season.” Dalgety said the same thing this time last year and was proved right as Christen Me was consistently the best pacer in Australasia.
Next term he not only stand heads and shoulders above the local open class ranks which will be missing Adore Me and Terror To Love, but has more weapons in his arsenal that Aussie hero Beautide.
Which is why Dalgety has ambitious plan which he hopes could see Christen Me double his career earnings of $2.2million.
His first major aim will be the New Zealand Cup on November 10 and is almost certain to be followed by a shot at the Perth Inter Dominions, which start in late November and culminate in a $A1.3million final in December.
“Originally I didn’t think we could do both but now I do because he is so much stronger,” says Dalgety.
“He is a great traveller and I plan to go after both of those carnivals and then just keep targeting the best races, with little four or five days freshen ups when he needs them.
“He could go to those races then the Auckland Cup, Victoria Cup, Hunter Cup and Miracle Mile (all of which he has won before).
“He had 14 starts this season but I think he could have 20 next term because he is a money making machine so lets help him make some money.”
Those six major targets alone are worth around $4million and if Christen Me can even hold his form from this season, let alone improve as Dalgety suggests, he could pass Monkey King’s $3,487,401 as New Zealand’s richest ever harness horse.
A dominant season could see him surge past $4million in stakes as a seven-year-old.
“A decade or two ago we thought five or six-year-old were a horses best seasons but in recent years we have seen so many horses race at their peak at seven, eight or even nine.
“So he could be in for a lot of fun if he stays sound because the money at the top is huge.”
Christen Me is the $3 favourite for the New Zealand Cup, a race he blew at the start last season, while Australian TABs have him a $6 equal favourite with Beautide for the Inter Dominion.
“Being on our back door step the Cup is the first really big race we are aiming at at I suppose we will take them one at a time after that,” says Dalgety.
“But I’d love to win a New Zealand Cup and so would the owners and Dex (driver Dexter Dunn) so he will be there.”
Meanwhile, no decision is expected soon on whether dual Inter Dominion champion and Christen Me’s arch rival Beautide will make the trip from Sydney to Christchurch for the Cup, with the great stayer looking the biggest and some might say only major obstacle between Christen Me and New Zealand harness racing’s holy grail.
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