After a week of playing on his âhome deckâ at Warrnambool, Aaron Purcell will make the trip to Sandown looking for another city win.
The Warrnambool May Carnival was completed on Thursday where Purcell saddled 11 runners over the three days, coming home with two winners along a third-place finish in the feature race of the meeting, the Grand Annual Steeplechase with Crosshill.
On Saturday his attention turns to Dashing who will run in the Selangor Turf Club Handicap (1800m) at Sandown.
Dashing has been a consistent performer for Purcell and connections registering two wins and seven placings from 13 starts, while finishing beyond fourth only once in his career.
That was when ninth in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) last October when beaten just over one-and-a-half lengths behind Golden Mile.
Purcell said Dashing had been plagued by bad barriers throughout his career but has come up with gate one on Saturday with the step up in trip to 1800m.
âIt was a race that we thought if we drew well in, weâd run, and he has,â Purcell said.
âHeâs been plagued by bad barriers most of his career, so it has made it hard for the riders to find the right spot.
âHeâs drawn barrier one, so heâll probably be sitting leaders back and should get the run of the race and be pretty hard to beat.â
Purcell said Dashing was a âsuper genuineâ horse who just lacks a killer punch as evidenced by a top four finish in 12 of his 13 starts.
âHeâs a really good talent and a really good trier and he never lets us down,â Purcell said.
âI think that he gets 2000 metre at his top, so the 1800 metres should be fine.
âAnd heâs had three starts at Sandown for a win, a second and a close third, so heâs been pretty good there as well.â