There are a handful of trainers that give me extra confidence when I see their name next to a horse I like and Matthew Dale is one of them but happy to take on one of his favourites at Canberra on Friday.
Dale places his horses exceptionally well evidenced by the fact that he has taken horses to 32 individual tracks around Australia over the last two racing seasons and returned to the winner’s stall at least once at more than half the tracks recording winners at 17 of the circuits.
Whilst we are taking on one of the Dale runners at Canberra on Friday the stable also provides the day’s best bet.
MYRISTICA/KANERUPT (Race 7 No’s 12 & 6)
Exaggerate in the Inglis/Fell Swoop/Everest Benchmark 60 Handicap (1000m), a $3.20 favourite in early betting, is the Dale runner I want to take on.
Exaggerate has solid form with placings at Wyong and Canterbury last preparation and a Gundagai maiden win resuming this time in before finishing runner-up at Canberra last start and with the Dale polish it is easy to see why the four-year-old is prominent in early betting.
The blinkers go back on Exaggerate Friday after the maiden win and last start placing came without blinkers.
Granted, Exaggerate did run third at Warwick Farm when the blinkers went on third-up last preparation but he remains a maiden in the shades and with 60kg on his back I am happy to suggest he will go around well under the odds.
The John Bateman-trained Myristica and Kanerupt from the Gratz Vella stable represent better value in my opinion.
Myristica and Kanerupt finished a close second and third in a Goulburn class three on September 18 behind the winner Pallino and that looks stronger form than the maiden/benchmark 59 of Exaggerate.
A $15 investment on Myristica and $14 on Kanerupt for a $100 collect gives a return of $3.40 – would rather have those two running me for a better return than Exaggerate one out.
SUPER STAR BOB (Race 5 No 4)
Sticking with Dale for our best of the day in Super Star Bob who puts an unbeaten Canberra record on the line in the TAB.Com.Au Tony Campbell Memorial Cup (1400m).
Along with the three Canberra wins, Super Star Bob boasts a Highway Handicap at Randwick giving the son of Mossman a 50 percent winning record from his eight starts to date.
Super Star Bob is chasing back to back wins after a victory tackling open company for the first time at Canberra last start and looks well treated with 55kg on Friday.
Drawn to get all the favours in running launching from the inside gate reckon Super Star Bob will be winning again.
AKIKO GOLD (Race 2 No 1)
1600m on a good track is the optimal circumstances for the Richard Clarke-trained Akiko Gold and the mare gets both in the Sky Racing Racecallers Cup Benchmark 65 Handicap.
Akiko Gold has won two of her last three starts on good tracks in the distance range winning a benchmark 55 at Goulburn on July 24 before a last start win at Moruya over 1650m in benchmark 65 company on the back of a 56-day break between races.
Akiko Gold must shoulder 61kg but she looks well weighted considering mare gets a 2kg allowance when competing against the males.
Akiko Gold is drawn to either lead or box-seat and is the horse to beat.
