Matthew Dale insists moving his in-form stable to a metropolitan racetrack isn’t an option.
Dale is riding the crest of a wave, training winners at the past three Saturday meetings in Sydney, but he sees his future in Canberra.
“I’ve been asked a lot about shifting my stable, especially in the past week, but my business model is in Canberra,” Dale said.
“I believe Canberra has city-class facilities and it gives me access to Sydney and Melbourne (racing).”
It will be in Sydney on Wednesday where Dale will be trying to continue his run of city success at Warwick Farm and enhance an impressive strike-rate of training 15 winners from his past 50 starters.
He will have More Beautiful and Royal Amati in the More Than Ready @ Vinery Handicap while Mystic Puzzle resumes in the Schweppes Handicap.
Dale says working with a select team of racehorses has served him well, highlighted with his runner-up finish in last season’s NSW country premiership.
“We’ve always had a similar stable where we know our horses inside out,” Dale said.
“We only keep 25 in work so we’re able to place them well and look after the little one per centers.”
Dale said with winning results came a higher calibre of racehorses.
“When you have a good season or a good period, there are more owners interested – that’s the nature of the game,” he said.
More Beautiful has won her past four starts on the country circuit and has to overcome a jump in class to continue her winning streak.
Dale said the mare deserved a chance to win a city-class race before she headed to the breeding barn later this year.
Dale is undecided whether Royal Amati will run alongside More Beautiful or wait to tackle a weaker race at Canberra on Friday.
But Dale rates Mystic Puzzle as a good first-up chance.
“She looks to be quite well placed. She’s performed well at Warwick Farm and 1000 metres looks to suit, especially with her down in the weights,” he said.
Warwick Farm receive 34mm of overnight rain on Monday, putting the surface in the heavy range.
