Driver Ricky May barely had to ask the group 1 winner for an effort as the 4yr-old produced a crushing performance to win the 2700m feature by almost seven lengths. Owner Pat Kubala, of Gore, got a rare opportunity to see his pacer win in the flesh, he said when accepting the Tuapeka Cup.
"I have had a lot of success here over the years when I was [training] them myself.
"I thought I would bring him down here for this race because I don’t get a chance to see him that often."
Kubala knocked back big-money offers for Pat’s Delight after his Harness Jewels win in June and he looks set to be rewarded for his faith in the pacer.
Pat’s Delight could be in for a big season and is likely to start in next week’s Kaikoura Cup.
May attempted to take bad luck out of the equation yesterday.
The reinsman sent Pat’s Delight to the front after a quick first 1600m and the horse only got further in front as the race went on.
Second-favourite Franco Santino went a big race in running second, but was never a winning prospect.
May and trainer Cran Dalgety combined for three wins.
Buzinga was also having her first start for the trainer and driver since running sixth at last season’s Harness Jewels.
Like Pat’s Delight, she also produced a crushing win.
Dalgety and May won the last race on the card when Just Dance claimed an overdue victory.
Pres The Belle booked her ticket to the New Zealand Cup carnival with an emphatic win at Forbury Park yesterday.
The 30m handicap and a torrid race tempo were not enough to stop the 5yr-old as she trotted to the line with driver Tim Williams barely moving in the sulky.
The Mosgiel mare showed grit to hold off the challenge of Dusky Eyre from the 600m.
It was Pres The Belle’s fifth consecutive victory and showed trainer Darryn Simpson she has earned her shot at premier racing at Addington.
"She was huge. She had to do a bit [of work]."
Speculation on track yesterday suggested Pres The Belle had set a track record.
She equalled the open male trotters 2700m track record of former grand Southland trotter David Moss of 3.27.9.
However Pres The Belle’s was 0.8sec outside Poppymalda’s open mares record.
Her scintillating time showed her trainer she would handle the hot pace of premier racing at the New Zealand Cup carnival.
"I think she deserves her trip up there. We will just see what happens, but the two-mile [3200m] race on cup day appeals to me," Simpson said.
