One of the bigger names of Australian Breeders Crown Day in recent years won’t be a part of the action this year.

For the first time in longer than he can actually remember, Cran Dalgety won’t be represented by a runner from his stable at the 2018 edition of one of harness racing’s biggest days.

“I’m actually shocked they are still going ahead without me,” Dalgety laughed.

A lack of really suitable horses and the potential threat of taking on two superstars in Princess Tiffany and Shez All Rock led Dalgety to make the decision that neither of his early season prospects for the rich race day, Buzinga and Bettor Joy, were viable options for the series.

“Buzinga isn’t a natural two-year-old. We thought she might be good enough to head over, but to do to all that expense and have to take on a horse like Princess Tiffany, it’s a little bit tough.

“She’s having a break and then we can look at next season, she’s going to be a nice filly in time.”

While not being negative of the day, at which he’s been successful on five occasions in the past, Dalgety said you really had to be heading over there confident of success with the way the stake payments are structured.

“They are big staked races for sure, but the winner gets 50 per cent of that so you need to be winning to make real money and cover the costs.

“If you happen to run second, well you’re really only just holding the head above water so if you are going over you want to be a serious chance of winning.

“And when you are taking on the likes of Princess Tiffany and Shez All Rock, it’s just that much harder to quantify the decision.”

Dalgety has won Breeders Crown finals with Katy Perry, Bit Of A Legend (2), Smiling Shard and Sparks A Flyin.

He’ll have a close eye on the action this year still though with former stable three-year-old, Master Moonlite on track for the day with two very impressive wins since being sold into the stable of Matt Craven.

Master Moonlite started in the two-year-old final last season but was unplaced.