On the track it looked like business as usual as Roger That won the group1 Diamond Creek Farm SBSR 2YO Classic at Ascot Park.
But a conversation with Cran Dalgety told a different story.
The 2-year-old helped Dalgety, wife Chrissie and son Carter continue their dominance of Southland’s biggest harness meetings in recent seasons.
There have only been seven group1 races held across any of the racing codes in the South and the Dalgetys have bagged four.
Their latest came by the barest of margins and after an agonising wait for Roger That to be confirmed the winner over a game runner-up in Chiggsy.
While Dalgety went into the race with full faith in his classy youngster, there was more doubt in the back of the always-upbeat trainer’s mind than usual.
"We took three horses to Addington a couple of weeks ago and they all finished well down the track."
"Some of the team have had a few bugs and it is the time of year for it with the changing season."
"As a trainer you are thinking to yourself what is going to go wrong next — that’s racing and it is part and parcel.
"The horse was on song for the race. We have a lot of time for him but he was a hot favourite and group1 level is the ultimate test.
"It was a thrill to win it and a little bit of a relief too."
Carter Dalgety has taken the reins in each of the Dalgety stable’s elite-level wins in the South and again scored with Roger That.
The Dalgety barn added the group2 Macca Lodge Nevele R Stud Southern Oaks to their Diamonds Day haul, this time with Kimberly Butt in the sulky.
Butt proved family can be close off the track but rivals on it when refusing to hand away the lead to Carter and The Queen’s Gambit.
Her win continued a golden run for Butt, who won her first group1 event in the Dalgety colours in November.
She admitted her career was at something of a crossroads before the recent success.
"I pinch myself really, getting the opportunity to drive these sorts of horses," Butt said.
"I was at a stage where I was wondering if it’s time to give up or time to do something else, but I am just riding the wave at the moment and I hope it continues for a little bit longer."
Canterbury trainers claimed a three-peat in the group races on Diamonds Day when Mystery Creek cleared out for a classy win in the group2 Alabar Southern Supremacy Stakes.
