By Ray Hickson
It’s a little against type for No Drama to enjoy a track like Canterbury but trainer Matthew Dale is happy not to question it as the gelding seeks to enhance his record there on Wednesday.
In three starts, No Drama has posted two all the way wins and a last start second where he was run down by Nana’s Wish who carried 5.5kg less.
He’ll again carry top weight over the same track and distance in the All Too Hard @ Vinery Handicap (1550m).
“He does seem to like it and that’s why we waited for this race. If we get rain it’s even better,’’ Dale said.
“Before I got him he’d won at Moonee Valley as well, he’s a big free galloping horse so you wouldn’t necessarily predict he’d be suited around those tracks.
“He’s better suited to a high cruising speed, free rolling gallop.”
No Drama, $5.50 with TAB on Tuesday, will carry 62.5kg with Adam Hyeronimus taking the ride as Dale’s opinion is he’s the type of horse best entrusted to a senior rider.
No Drama runs second at Canterbury on June 18
“The weight structure is a little awkward and I don’t feel like he’s an apprentice horse so that’s why we were happy to carry the weight with Adam,’’ he said.
“He’s well placed, he’s deep into a prep but he’s kept ticking over well.”
Dale has dropped Ringarosa in grade in the Broadsiding @ Darley Handicap (1250m) and while she’ll also carry some weight (61.5kg) he said her first-up effort for him was quite encouraging.
The six-year-old attracted plenty of support at odds prior to running fourth behind Romeo’s Choice three weeks ago and Dale said her run was a lot better than it reads on paper too.
“She was good first-up and the form has been franked with the winner winning again on Saturday,’’ he said.
“Her profile suggested she’d handle a heavy track but the different thing was she went back and came down the outside.
“Nine times out of ten that’s where you want to be at Warwick Farm on a wet track but they were coming through the ruck.
“When I looked back through her profile she’d carried weight successfully before. I think she’s relatively well placed and should be in the mix.”
All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday’s Canterbury meeting