Republican Party Stamps Himself As A Leading NZ Cup Contender

The Australian raiders are coming and Republican Party (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight) looks to be New Zealand’s best defence heading into the Group One New Zealand Trotting Cup (3200m) at Addington Raceway next month.

He stamped himself as New Zealand’s leading chance in the two-mile feature following his comfortable two-length victory in Monday’s Group Two NZB Airfreight Ashburton Flying Stakes (2400m), and co-trainer Cran Dalgety is hopeful he can go two better than last year’s third placing.

“It was a good effort today,” said Dalgety, who trains in partnership with his wife Chrissie. 

“I have had a 35-year apprenticeship, I am due (a NZ Trotting Cup win). I have had lots of placings, I have been the first beaten, but I have to go one further.”

Republican Party is now a $3.50 second favourite on the TAB’s Futures Market for the New Zealand Trotting Cup behind Australian raider Leap To Fame ($2), with fellow Australians Kingman ($6) and Swayzee ($8) the third and fourth elect.

Dalgety is aware of the task ahead of him, but he believes Republican Party is up to the challenge.

“They (Australians) are stars and if we can match them, they have a bit of not so good luck and we get a bit of good luck, we could feature,” he said. “It’s exciting to be in the position we are in.”

Dalgety’s son Carter will once again be in the cart on the second Tuesday in November, and the Canterbury reinsman believes his charge has another couple of gears up his sleeve following Monday’s triumph.

“He did it really well,” he said. “When the other one (Alta Meteor) got close to him after the line, he went again, so hopefully there’s not one more gear left but two.

“He is going so much better than at the start of the year. He is just so strong now and he is doing it so well, so the confidence levels couldn’t be higher.”

Bred by Katrina and John Price, Republican Party is out of Group One-winning mare Democrat Party, a daughter of Group One performer Champagne Party, and the dam of Group One performer Advance Party.

Republican Party was offered through Price Bloodstock’s 2020 NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sale draft at Christchurch where he was purchased by Cran Dalgety for $210,000.

The six-year-old has now won 24 of his 59 starts, including four at Group One level, and has amassed more than $960,000 in prizemoney to date.

Vendor	Price Bloodstock
Purchaser	Cran Dalgety
Owner(s)	Mrs C M Dalgety, G E Dickey, Mrs J E Rooney, G A Ayers, First Term Syndicate, D A Schollum, K J Cummings, B A Smith, G P Merlo, A & M Syndicate
Breeding	Bettor's Delight - Democrat Party
Sale	2020 National Standardbred Yearling Sale, Christchurch ($210,000)
Breeder(s)	F J Price,Mrs K V Price