MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM KENTUCKIANA LODGE

Senior trainer, Cran Dalgety, wife Chrissie, and junior co-trainer, Nathan Purdon, wish their owners, staff and supporters, a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year

The northern arm of fhe stable have been thwarted by awkward barrier draws at Auckland, but will be hoping for better luck in the Young Guns 2YO Heat and $150,000 Alabar Sires Stakes 3YO Fillies Final at Auckland on New Year’s Eve.

There will be a good sprinkling of runners in both the north and on the Canterbury Chistmas-New Year circuit.

The partners have been delighted with the way the winners have flowed through the first four months of the season.

Starting, with a team consisting of mostly young maidens, the partners have produced 17 individual winners of 26 races up to and including December 16…

Their list of winners for the season are:

Arden Roanoke (four), Im A Gigolo (three),Cardinal Sin (two), Donegal Mary Francis (two), Gemma Mac, Bettathanfast (two), and the single race winners, She’s A Rebel, Chevron Flies, Pocket W

atch, Arden’s Sweetheart, Woman In Gold, Alta Endeavour, Arden’s Reality, Dr Susan, Pink Flamingo Run, and Chevron Action, and Fabrizio.

The senior ideas of Cran, and the youthful ideas of Nathan, are a perfect combination in the years to come.

Cran, who gained his first training win with Laud at Addington in 1992, prepared the winners of 1231 races in NZ for over $14.4 million in stakes, including the 2013 NZ trainer premiership, on his own account.

He’s excited to team up with Nathan, son of top Allstars trainer, Mark Purdon, the latter regularly NZ’s top trainer since 2000.

“I’m always learning and Nathan was keen to take the next step into training after working for us. I love his enthusiasm, so it seemed a good thing for both of us,” Cran said.

Apart from two NZ Cup placings with Bettor’s Strike (2009) and Christen Me (2013), and an Inter Dominion Pacing Grand Final third with Smiling Shard (2011), Cran has trained the winners of most of Australasia’s premier events.

They include an Auckland Cup, NZ Free-For-All, five Harness Jewels (one promoted), NZ Derby, Northern Derby, NZ Oaks, and two NZ Sires Stakes 2 & 3YO Finals.

He has also achieved numerous Group One victories in Australia, including five Breeders Crown Finals, four Victoria Cups, the Miracle Mile, A G Hunter Cup and Queensland Pacing Championship.

Nathan Purdon, over 20 years junior than Cran, worked throughout Australasia, and was formerly the groom for champion Allstars mare, the 2014 NZ Cup winner, Adore Me (1:47.7, 26 wins from 36 starts & $1.67 million).

He worked for Cran during his trial driver phase before ga

ining his first win behind subsequent NZ Cup winner Arden Rooney for Mark Purdon at Rangiora in 2013.

Nathan has a previous Group One training and driving win in the 2016 Blacks A Fake at Albion Park, Queensland, when he prepared Ohoka Punter to beat Hectorjayjay.

The younger horseman’s focus is now as a trainer, with the partners seeking the best drivers available for race competition.

This site will continue to be updated regularly over the holiday season. Please come back for updates.

FACILITIES

Kentuckiana Lodge is a highly-maintained harness training facility, consistently being fine-tuned with regular improvements. Consisting of 100 acres (45 Hectares) of pasture green grass for its equine athletes, it has a professionally groomed 1000m track.

“I have a beaut 3 tonne track conditioner from Bendigo, Victoria, which can go as deep as I want. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever bought and makes the track like running on a beach,” Cran says.

Racehorse preparations are complemented by the equine swimming pool. Horses undergo intense aerobic conditioning in the pool with virtually no concussive effects by swimming. The pool has played its part in extending the race careers of many horses who have niggles from track training.