Dale Looking For Happy Finish

Monday, 23 July 2012: The Matt Dale-trained Happy Finish will relish a drop back to country grade when the eight-year-old contests the Bill (Colt) Rowlands Open Handicap (1400m) at Cowra today.

Matt Dale Photo by Racing and Sports

A rising nine-year-old, Happy Finish is still showing that zest for racing having won well at the Sapphire Coast two back prior to a most encouraging fifth in weekend city company last start.

That 2.5 length fifth at Rosehill last start could have easily been an even better result if the gelding hadn't lost his running near the 100m.

Happy Finish  gets a number of things in his favour today when lining up in the Bill (Colt) Rowlands Open Handicap (1400m) at Cowra.

Dropping sharply to country company, the Matt Dale-trained gelding is the beneficiary of a race with noticeably compressed weights with just two of his rivals above the minimum.

The 2kg claim of Lester Grace also brings him down nicely in the weights.

Happy Finish has been very consistent this campaign having run to Timeform figures in the low to mid 90's in a majority of his five runs this preparation.

His peak figure this preparation of 96 when winning at the Sapphire Coast two back rates well above anything the eight-year-olds rivals here have run to in their latest outings.

Bathurst-based gelding Moment Of Clarity  looms as the main danger stepping back up to 1400m.

The seasoned veteran perhaps found them too sharp at Wellington over 1100m last start however stays under notice here based on his performance at Mudgee when second two starts ago over 1400m.

That showing was assessed at 87 and with 4kg off the likely favourite here can throw down the gauntlet.

Acta Non Verba and Tindal are also capable of figuring in the finish with the remaining four runners of the nine horse field well out of the handicap.

Tindal  comes out of the same Rosehill race as Happy Finish where he finished a well beaten ninth on resuming.

Today's Open Handicap at Cowra is the easiest affair the eight-year-old has contested for a very long time, if not the easiest ever.

Second up rising to 1400m with the blinkers on he should be recording a much improved result.

Acta Non Verba  showed encouraging signs on his home track last start when fourth which followed a pair of underwhelming efforts to kick off his campaign.

Fourth up with a 2kg claim courtesy of Annelise King, the Strategic six-year-old is at least capable of working his way into the placings.