By Adam Hamilton
Racing fans could get another fix of young Kiwi pacing sensation Krug sooner than expected.
Trainer Cran Dalgety will decide today if he backs-up Krug at Albion Park on Saturday after he delivered one of the great highlights in the history of the Redcliffe harness track last Saturday night.
Despite doing all the work, Krug won as he liked and smashed 0.8sec off the all-aged track record in the Redcliffe Derby.
“I’m 50-50 on whether to run him again in a sprint race this week,” Dalgety said. “It’s either race him, or I’ll have to keep the work right up to him.
“He was fantastic the other night and he’s recovery suggested he was a bit fitter than I thought I had him, but I still think he’ll need to improve another few lengths to match it with the likes of Expensive Ego.”
Champion driver Anthony Butt added: “It felt like I was driving a motor car. He’s so professional and handled the track really well.”
If Krug runs again this week, it will be his third run in as many weeks when he tackles his main Queensland aim, the new $250,000 Group 1 The Rising Sun at Albion Park on July 10.
“That won’t bother him. He’ll need to be as fit and as good as I can possibly have him come Rising Sun night,” Dalgety said.
Krug is the only three-year-old absolutely certain to tackle the four-year-olds in The Rising Sun.
NSW Derby winner Patsbeachstorm has also been invited, but he’s winless in four Melton runs this campaign and looked below his best when second as favourite there last Saturday night.
The other three big guns of The Rising Sun, Expensive Ego, Copy That and Spirit Of St Louis, will also race at Albion Park on Saturday night.
Copy That, arguably NZ’s best pacer at his top, thrilled trainer Ray Green with a strong Albion Park trial win in slick time last Friday.
“He did it well and his recovery was great. He’s ready to go this week,” Green said.
Copy That will face a hot field in the Wondais Mate Open Pace, headed by dual Miracle Mile winner King Of Swing, top-class former Kiwi pair Spankem and Turn It Up and possibly Colt Thirty One.
Trainer Grant Dixon may back-up Colt Thirty One quickly after he resumed from a spell with an encouraging third to the emerging L L Cool J in last Saturday night’s Redcliffe Cup.