A START in the $150,000 SDRA Country Championships Qualifier will be on the line when Arthur Porrit lines-up at Albury today.
Arthur Porrit will contest the $22,000 Country Championship Preview, (1400m) with trainer Andrew Dale conceding his galloper is borderline of gaining a start unless he can lift his rating.
“I’m very conscience that my horse is a Benchmark 62 at the moment and not guaranteed to get a run in the qualifier,” Dale said.
“This is the fourth year of the championships and every year the minimum benchmark to get into the race has risen.
“A Benchmark 56 or 57 would of gained a start a couple of year’s ago but I think you will have to be a least around that 62 to 63 mark this year to gain a start.
“So I’m going in with the attitude that he will need to put his best foot forward today to warrant a start in the qualifier.”
Arthur Porrit resumes from a 13-week spell after winning three of five starts last preparation.
The five-year-old gelding recently run fourth in a trial at Wagga in preparation for today’s assignment.
“I was happy with his trial, he jumped and ran along and Josh didn’t really ask him to extend at all,” he said.
“It was against some of the contenders for the Championship qualifier in there like Forever Newyork, Lost Command and Tacookacod.
“So it was a quality trial and to get beat a few lengths was pleasing considering he was in need of the run.”
Dale said resuming over 1400-metres first-up was not ideal but he had opted to use claiming apprentice Josh Richards and utilise his two kilogram claim.
It is a bit of query but he has drawn ideally in 2 and with the claim only has to carry 57½-kilograms,” he said.
“I’ve put the blinkers on first-up, hoping he can find the front and roll along.
“That’s his natural racing pattern and all four of his victories have been when rolling along in front.
“The last furlong will be the test but I’m confident I’ve put enough work into the horse that he run’s the trip.
“But I’ve been preparing him for the qualifier second-up – providing he can gain a start.”
It is a bit of query but he has drawn ideally in 2 and with the claim only has to carry 57½-kilograms,” he said.
“I’ve put the blinkers on first-up, hoping he can find the front and roll along.
“That’s his natural racing pattern and all four of his victories have been when rolling along in front.
“The last furlong will be the test but I’m confident I’ve put enough work into the horse that he run’s the trip.
“But I’ve been preparing him for the qualifier second-up – providing he can gain a start.”
Dale scored the biggest win of his training career two-year’s ago when Lautaro scored an upset win in the Championship Qualifier on his home track.
The gelding finished tenth in the $388,000 final held at Randwick.
