By Ray Hickson
Dual Kosciuszko champ Front Page naturally holds top billing among Matthew Dale’s trio he’s secured to run in the $2 million country feature on TAB Everest Day.
But he’s looking to his support players to confirm their readiness in the coming days with So You Pence, confirmed in the field on Tuesday, and Boston Rocks set to round off their build ups.
So You Pence, a six-year-old mare, is engaged in the Asahi Super Dry Handicap (1300m) at Rosehill on Wednesday while Boston Rocks tackles a Benchmark 94 (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Dale said Boston Rocks doesn’t necessarily need a podium finish to have him on track to peak on October 18 but he’s expecting a more competitive showing than his second-up run three weeks ago.
Matthew Dale with Kosciuszko champion Front Page (Pic: Bradley Photos).
“He was five weeks between and it was a combination of being caught three deep without cover and just getting away on us a fraction,’’ Dale said.
“He went into that a little bit fat so he’s tightened up really well again.”
Boston Rocks has been set for the Kosciuszko all preparation and to arrive at the race fourth-up.
He was placed, and a little unlucky, at Moonee Valley first-up and while Dale was a little let down with his ninth placing behind Fire Star at Rosehill he says it’s Saturday’s race that is more important.
“He was a bit gross on a track where you could not get caught wide and figure,’’ he said.
“He might have looked a bit disappointing to the eye but there are well and truly solid reasons and he’ll strip a lot fitter.
“This run, with a drop in weight, it’ll top him right off for the Kosciuszko on a two week turnaround which is good for him.
“It’s a decent race, I want to see him back to his form of his first-up run and he’ll be right for the Kosi.”
In the case of So You Pence, Dale said she’s come onto the radar more recently as a potential Kosciuszko runner and she was the last of the 14 horses selected when slot winner Tony Ryan from Bulli picked her up.
She chased home the promising Our Queen at Canterbury when resuming in mid-September and Dale said she’ll benefit from Wednesday’s race and a 6.5kg drop in weight in the Kosciuszko.
“Originally the main two I set for the race got in, I suppose she came more to the forefront once the field was taking shape,’’ he said.
“A lot of the field are Highway horses, we haven’t run her in a Highway, and evidenced by her first-up run against a promising mare of Bjorn’s she’s come back well.
“I was happy to put her forward, she’s quite lightly raced and progressive while being an older mare because she had some time off due to injury.
“She went into her first-up run off a jump out and trial and still quite wintry, and she’s come on since then and will again with this run.”
Meanwhile, Kosciuszko favourite Front Page will have a public barrier trial at the next meeting on his home track of Goulburn on October 7 - the same day TAB Everest favourite Ka Ying Rising will make his first public appearance at Randwick since arriving from Hong Kong.
All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday’s Rosehill meeting