Dalgety with good chances at Invercargill today

By Jonny Turner 

At the halfway point of the harness racing season, Carter Dalgety knows a  lead doesn't mean too much.

With 52 wins Dalgety is currently 11 ahead of reigning champion Wilson House in the national junior championship.

With just on six months of competition left, the Canterbury driver will forgo racing close to home at Addington to link up with a quality book at Ascot Park today.

With good winning chances to drive and a junior premiership to chase, it wasn't a tough decision.

"I have been getting great support in Southland, I love going down there,” Dalgety said.

"It is a shame that the meetings clash with Canterbury sometimes but I go down south as much as I can."

"This week I have some handy chances down there so it made sense."

The Lyndon Bond stable has been among Dalgety's biggest supporters in Southland recently.

The junior driver links up with Bond's rugged pacer Step It Up A Notch in Sunday's finale.

After a brave fourth at Winton last week, the seven-year-old looks a big winning threat.

"He was very good at Winton, he sat parked in good time and didn't give it away."

"This week's field doesn't look any stronger so he should be a nice chance."

Dalgety also links up with the Bond trained Bullit Train, who is arguably the safest option in Sunday's opener.

The trotter clashes with the highly talented He Aint Fakin It, who brings a hit-or-miss form line to the event.

"He Aint Fakin will be very hard to beat if he does things right."

"But I couldn't be much happier with the way Bullit Train has been going."

"He took a couple of runs down south and now he has really hit his straps."

"He looks a nice eachway chance."

Owner Brendan Fahy and trainer Clark Barron have been big supporters of Dalgety on his southern missions and he again drives their consistent pairing of Rakamick and Rakaturbo on Sunday.

"Drawing the inside of the second row is the query for Rakamick."

"He's going nice races in that grade, he probably just needs a little bit of luck from the draw."

"Rakaturbo is very honest, his last start was just OK but he's had a freshen-up, and I would expect him to be a handy top-three chance."

Dragon Power looks another genuine winning threat for Dalgety on Sunday.

The pacer worked hard and fought on bravely in his last start fourth in his last start fourth at Ascot Park.

Like Rakamick, Dragon Power must contend with barrier 1 on the second row.