Tom Dabernig has one of the best strike rates going around on the Victorian country circuit and is hoping that can parlay into a metropolitan win at Caulfield.
Prior to Thursday’s Warrnambool meeting, Dabernig had started 45 horses on country tracks, registering 17 wins for a winning strike race just shy of 38 per cent to sit inside the top 20 on the Victorian Country Trainers’ Premiership.
Dabernig left Lindsay Park prior to the commencement of the current season to set up a stable at Warrnambool and while still awaiting completion of his on-course boxes, he is starting to slowly increase his numbers.
He currently has horses at three different locations around Warrnambool which Dabernig concedes is not ideal and does add some extra time to an already busy schedule, adding the systems in place are working well.
Dabernig hopes to be in his on-course stabling by April, in time for the May carnival.
The in-form trainer saddles last start winner Angel Rock in the Robert Hunter Handicap (1800m) and recent stable acquisition Think ‘N’ Fly in the Quayclean Handicap (1100m) on Saturday.
Think ‘N’ Fly is a horse Dabernig knows well having prepared him with Ben Hayes when at Lindsay Park.
Dabernig concedes Saturday’s race will be too short for Think ‘N’ Fly, but he has a midweek race picked out for the galloper at Sandown on February 23.
Angel Rock has won two of her last four starts, her latest being at Warrnambool over 1700m on January 20 which had followed successive placings at The Valley.
“I think the 1800 metres is a nice in between distance for her and she gets in with a lightweight after the claim for Laura Lafferty,” Dabernig said.
“She’s very fit and this is a tougher sort of race than what she has been in so far, but I think she’ll run another good honest race.
“She’s drawn a little awkwardly, but recently she’s been able to hold a handy position and hopefully we can roll across and get a reasonable run.”