Cherish Me in record-breaking Fillies Final win at Addington

By Michael Guerin

“Her mother would be proud.” 

That sentence from young driver Carter Dalgety summed up the feelings of any harness racing industry insider after watching Cherish Me, a daughter of all-time great Adore Me, light up a rain-soaked Addington today.

The three-year-old filly started from the worst draw but courtesy of Dalgety’s aggressive drive and a fuel tank most horses aren’t born with, Cherish Me demolished our best three-year-old pacing fillies in the $200,000 Nevele R Fillies Final.

Dalgety poked through from the outside of the second line, got three wide and when he challenged for the lead he didn’t even have the manners to look inside to his left to see what Blair Orange was doing on leader and second favourite Secret Wish.

He didn’t need to.

Cherish Me went straight past her and then just kept running, all the way in to the record books to win the Group 1 in a stunning time considering the conditions.

That Cherish Me has such reserves of stamina are no surprise as Adore Me would be in the conversation of the top five New Zealand pacing mares of all time.

She also lit up Addington on many occasions, none more so than when she won the New Zealand Cup in 2014, the last mare to do so. 

Adore Me has already been a wonderful broodmare but in Cherish Me she may have painted her masterpiece, helped by the embryo transfer technology allowed in harness racing.

But there is more, much more, to the Cherish Me story that big lungs and a famous Mum.

“This filly is lucky to be alive after having a serious accident as a yearling,” said Dalgety, whose parents Cran and Chrissie train the now 7 from 10 superstar.

“We are so lucky to still have her and if it wasn’t for the great work from the people at the Rangiora Vet Clinic we wouldn’t.”

Cherish Me was a slow learner on the track, maybe infused with the stubbornness that makes so many great female horses elite, but Dalgety says the family stable and their team have ironed her early issues out.

Cran Dalegty, who knows his way around a seriously good horse and has rarely been without one, knows where Cherish Me could end up.

“This time next year she will be able to run with the Free-For-Allers.”

Cherish Me is owned by Paul and Mary Kenny, co-owners of Woodlands Stud, and they also own runner-up All Of Me and bred third-placed Indulge Me for the ultimate Me, Me, Me moment.

All three fillies date back to the wonderful New Zealand record setter of the early 1990s Scuse Me.

Next for Cherish Me is the New Zealand Oaks at Addington on Friday week, another race his dear old Mum won.

Cherish Me has a long way to go to catch or, if it is even possible, surpass the deeds of her great dam.

But she is at least heading down the same road.

And Carter Dalgety is right.

Cherish Me’s Mum would be proud.