The long-awaited return to racing at Caulfield hasn’t been missed by New South Wales-based trainer Matthew Dale, who hopes to continue his strong association with the track across several races on Saturday.
Caulfield might be an eight-hour road trip for Dale’s team, but the Goulburn-based trainer said on Tuesday that he is willing to take as many as four of his horses to the course in what will be Caulfield’s first race meeting since Zipping Classic day in November last year.
“It’s a long way to go so we want to make sure they draw OK and look well placed,” Dale explained on Tuesday. “But, depending on how things go at acceptances, all four might head down.
“Caulfield is a track where we’ve won some races and gone pretty close in a couple as well. Fell Swoop ran second in an Oakleigh Plate and he was unlucky that day and he’s won at the track as well (Testa Rossa Stakes).”
One of Dale’s four entries on Saturday is juvenile filly Malaboom, who herself has a deal of family history at Caulfield.
The $80,000 yearling purchase is by two-time Oakleigh Plate placegetter Spirit Of Boom out of the mare Malasun, who won the Blue Diamond Stakes Preview at Caulfield in 2012 on debut.
“She’s got talent but she’s still working it out,” Dale said. “She’s got some weight, so it’s important she draws well and the race shapes well for her,” he said.
“She might end up with some headgear on in time, but she’s coming along well.”
Malaboom has run just twice and has already recorded a Stakes win following her all-the-way victory in Brisbane in December in the Calaway Gal Stakes (1000m).
Dale said he could also run filly Penthouse in the three-year-old race over 1000 metres, while he will also consider running Ruban Bleu in a Benchmark 78 over 1400m or against stablemate She’s The Gift in the Benchmark 84 over 1600m.
Dale said he does not fear the long road trip to Melbourne as it is a relatively stress-free run down the Hume Highway.
“It’s similar to when I was in Canberra,” he explained. “We come on the Thursday night and get there Friday morning and the work’s already done, so you only have to swim or have a walk the next morning and they are ready to go.”
– racing.com
