Canberra trainer Matthew Dale travels south to a midweek meeting at Moonee Valley looking to extend the winning run of Yasnat.
The three-year-old filly runs in a 1000m-sprint on Wednesday after winning her only two starts for Dale on home soil last month.
She made her debut for Mick Price at Mornington 12 months ago before being sent to Dale.
The trainer was pleased to hear the filly, the $3.70 early favourite, had settled in well at the Flemington stables of Leon and Troy Corstens after travelling on Monday night.
The Moonee Valley circuit is rated in the heavy range which doesn’t faze Dale after Yasnat’s two wins on heavy ground.
“She’s third-up and well versed the Melbourne way of going,” Dale said.
“She looks well weighted against the three-year-old fillies and is rock solid fit.
“She was quite immature when she raced as a two-year-old for Mick Price and she’s still not overly big, but as a later three-year-old she’s started to mature and her two wins at Canberra have been solid.”
While Dale is yet to try the filly on firmer footing he doesn’t believe she is purely a wet-tracker with Jay Ford, who has ridden her to her two wins, saying she will be better on top of the ground.
Dale isn’t looking too far ahead with Yasnat and is keen to keep her racing with the hope of building her record before she has a break.
“One race at a time with her but I do think she will improve with a bit more maturity,” he said.
“She’s only a slight filly but she’ll have another run or two this preparation and then go out and hopefully come back a stronger mare.”
Apprentice Dylan Dunn will look to increase his three-win lead in the premiership race over Michael Dee when he rides Yasnat on Wednesday.
Stablemate Fell Swoop is in pre-training ahead of a return to Dale’s stable following a five week break in Queensland.
Dale has indicated a light spring campaign for the rising five-year-old following a six run autumn-winter campaign during which Fell Swoop raced in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
