With seven winners from his past 19 runners, it is fair to say Matthew Dale’s recent move to Goulburn has got off to a flying start.
The former Canberra-based horseman officially saddled up his first runners from his new digs on December 3 and since then his winning strike rate has been at almost 37 per cent.
“It has been a good little period off the back of moving, which is what we would have hoped for,” Dale said.
“The first few runners we had out of Goulburn, we had nearly the best 24 hours I’ve ever had winning the feature at the Canterbury night meeting (with Golden Gorge) into the Highway (with Penthouse) into the Calaway Gal (with Malaboom).”
Two of those horses, Golden Gorge and Penthouse, will represent the stable at Randwick on Saturday and Dale can make cases for both.
Penthouse lines up in the Highway Handicap (1100m) and while her two wins have been over 1000-metres, she is a dual placegetter over Saturday’s journey, including when third to subsequent Group 1 winner In Secret in the Listed Woodlands Stakes at Scone.
“She has run well both times at 1100, albeit not winning,” Dale said.
“She still has to tick that box and win past 1000-metres, but I don’t see any reason why she can’t.”
Golden Gorge is likewise a distance query in the Bisley Workwear Handicap (1800m) after posting a narrow but determined win over 1550m at Canterbury last time out.
Dale wasn’t necessarily looking to step him up to Saturday grade but felt the Randwick assignment was the right opportunity to test his stamina.
“It’s his first time up over this trip but going through his pedigree, there is some stoutness there to suggest out to 2000 metres is achievable and he has raced like that,” Dale said.
“He will run well. He’s down in the weights, in good form and he’s in good order.”
“We were looking around the edges for him, not to place him on a Saturday, but I thought as far as a Saturday benchmark race goes it is quite an off-season race.”
Veterans Five Kingdom and Mossman Gorge round out Dale’s team and while the latter is a certain starter, Five Kingdom could bypass Randwick in favour of the Moruya Cup on Monday week.
