Wednesday, 20 June 2012: Matt Dale will have a strong team of gallopers at his home track of Thoroughbred Park this Friday with Stakes winner Lebrechaun leading the charge.
 | Lebrechaun
Photo by Racing and Sports | |
|
The six-year-old will resume off a five-month spell in the feature race of the Canberra meeting, with Dale off-setting the big weight allocated to the Iglesia gelding by engaging the 4kg claiming apprentice Amy Van Der Sanden.
The young hoop has been struggling to get rides at Canberra of late and is hoping the opportunity to ride an accomplished galloper such as Lebrechuan can deliver her first home track win.
“It's not really his distance but he does go well first-up, so I think he'll be right up there and will be pretty hard to beat,” Van Der Sanden said.
“I'm looking forward to it very much. He's a nice big horse to ride and I'm quite excited to ride him first-up.”
Although Van Der Sanden is yet to ride the six-year-old under race conditions although has publicly trialled him twice and shares the track-work duties with another rider.
The pair will jump from barrier three in Friday's Open Handicap (1280m) which is the fourth event of Canberra Racing Clubs eight race program.
Fellow stable runner
Prince Warrior 
will contest the following race – a Benchmark 64 Handicap (1750m).
The in-form Lester Grace will partner the four-year-old. Their previous outing on the Acton Track yielded a win over 1900m last month against similar company.
Prince Warrior tired badly over the last furlong of that race after taking to the straight several lengths in front of his nearest competitor.
“He's probably looking for further than the mile now. I would probably say now that the mile-to-1900m looks like his distance,” said trainer Matt Dale.
“A lot of his wins have come on tighter circuits like the Acton Track.”
Since that win at his home track, Prince Warrior has continued his strong form by placing at Wagga, then placing again in mid-week city grade at Canterbury last time out.
The Lion Heart gelding will roll forward from gate four and will likely set a strong pace, with fellow Canberra galloper
Salander looking his biggest threat.
Two races later will see fellow Dale trained thoroughbred
Dos Mas shoot for back-to-back wins after saluting the judge last time out at Canberra.
The three-year-old General Nediym filly has been in consistent form this time in winning twice from her four starts and finishing second and fourth in the other two.
Friday's Class 2 Handicap will be over the same trip (1080m) as Dos Mas' last start win with apprentice jockey Lester Grace to ride her once again.
Dale's final runner,
Mycup Runneth Over will be searching for her first career win in a Maiden Plate (1280m).
The three-year-old placed when resuming at Canberra last start and has retained the experienced Brendan Ward for Friday's race.
