Trainer Andrew Dale is set to have recent stable addition Port Triano on the quick back-up at Wangaratta on Friday.
Port Triano was previously trained by Craig Widdison who is serving a two-year suspension.
The seven-year-old gelding has had two starts for Dale since joining his stable.
Dale elected to send Port Triano to Corowa for a confidence boosting victory at the non-TAB meeting last month.
Port Triano then finished second over last week’s Wagga carnival behind Leg Work who looks to be a potential city class horse.
Dale said Port Triano had pulled-up well since the Wagga run and drops slightly in grade in the $20,000 0-58 Hcp, (1400m).
Jockey Mitch Aitken is booked to ride.
“Port Triano is also nominated for a race at Wagga on Sunday but I’m fairly keen to run him at Wangaratta,” Dale said.
“Everything is well with the horse and he tried hard at Wagga when running second.
“Obviously we got the horse off Craig and was close to peak fitness by the time he arrived at our stables.
“I decided to send him to Corowa to build a bit of confidence and he got the job done.
“By all reports he bumped into a fairly smart horse when he ran second last week at Wagga with the winner Leg Work potentially a city class horse in the making.”
Dale said he expected Port Triano to once again prove ultra competitive at Wangaratta on Friday and would benefit from a slight drop in class.
“I think today’s race is a step back in grade,” he said.
“Provided he handles the quick back-up you would think he would be competitive.
“He is not a very big horse but he tries hard.
“He started off his career with Peter Moody and has won in mid-week grade so he is a handy enough horse to have in the stable.”
Dale is set to have several other runners at the meeting with Abyssinia, Destination Rocks and Volere also engaged.
The Wangaratta trainer was hoping Destination Rocks could prove competitive first-up from a spell.
Words: Brent Godde
Image: The Border Mail
