By Ray Hickson
Trainer Matthew Dale wonders if Rose Aye set expectations too high with her runaway Highway win but suspects she can reach the level required to repeat it at the Sapphire Coast on Sunday.
It’s a leap from a TAB Highway into the $150,000 Evergreen Turf South East Country Championships (1400m), often one of the strongest regions, but Dale said he’s long thought she was capable of such a performance.
Tommy Berry rides Rose Aye to a win in the Highway Handicap at Rosehill.Credit: Getty Images
The Highway record 7-1/4 length margin meant she was installed a clear favourite with TAB on Saturday in a much deeper race and Dale can only hope the market is right.
“She won by a long way and a couple of big roughies ran second and third but she ran good time in doing it,” Dale said.
“I always knew that sort of performance was in her, I thought we wouldn’t see it until I put winkers or blinkers on her.
“There was intent the other day from Tommy [Berry] and it switched her right on and we saw the best version of her.
“In this style of race I never think anything should be too short a price. They’re very open and are run on different tracks so there are plenty of variables.”
The Dale stable has a strong hand in the Sapphire Coast event with Canadian Ruler, coming off a metro win, as top weight and he’s hopeful first emergency Martini Mumma can gain a start.
Rose Aye “bounced through” her win last weekend, according to Dale.
“I’ve been pleased with her, she handles the sting out of the track which I think you’re going to need to and she drops nicely in weight,” he said.
“She is deep into her prep, being her fifth run in coming off a big win the other day but she’s bounced through it.”
Amy McLucas rides Rose Aye while Nick Heywood continues his association with Canadian Ruler who is the highest rated horse on 90 but carries just the 59kg.
He’s been freshened up since scoring a narrow win over 1400m at Kensington five weeks ago and the Goulburn trainer says from barrier three he’s well-placed.
“He has had another jump out in between and Nick knows him so well so there’s a few ticks in his favour,” he said.
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