Canterbury preview: No Drama set for more success at favourite track
The old saying 'horses for courses' holds firmly for Goulburn trainer Matthew Dale, which is why he has patiently waited for Wednesday's meeting at Canterbury.
Dale's five-year-old gelding No Drama has shown a real love for the circuit with two wins and a close second from three starts.
His first win at Canterbury came July last year at just his second start for Dale while his other win and second placings came in his last three starts.
He led all-the-way to beat Naval Commission over 15050m on April 30 and was just caught late by Nana's Wish over the same distance on June 18.
• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
'He's got a real liking for those sort of rolling, tight-turning tracks. He seems very suited to them,' Dale said.
'He's got a good record at Canterbury and he's also won at Moonee Valley as well.
'He nearly pinched it at Canterbury last start and the horse who beat him, has come out and won again since so the form if very solid.'
The Form: Complete NSW Racing thoroughbred form, including video replays and all you need to know about every horse, jockey and trainer. Find a winner here!
The son of Ghibellines can add to that record in the All Too Hard @ Vinery Stud Handicap (1550m) despite his top weight of 62.5kg.
'We have targeted these races with him but with his benchmark, he is just up in the weights a bit,' Dale said.
'He has ticked over well and stayed nice and sharp with a number of weeks between runs waiting for this race.'
Dale was happy with Ringarosa when fourth to Romeo's Choice over 1000m at Warwick Farm on July 2 at her first run in nearly eight months and first for the stable.
'I thought she would be well placed first-up and she ran accordingly,' he said.
'It was a funny day. It was a Heavy 10 and usually they come down the outside at Warwick Farm but they were coming up the rail and through the ruck that day.
'The form out of her race has obviously stood up too with Romeo's Choice winning again at Rosehill on Saturday.'
Ringarosa was an acceptor in two races but Dale has elected for the Benchmark 64 Broadsiding @Darley Handicap (1250m) where she has drawn barrier 3.
The six-year-old daughter of Sebring hasn't won for over two years but she is a winner over this track and distance.
'She has won at Canterbury and I think the step up in trip looks suitable.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

The Australian
3 hours ago
- The Australian
Trainer Matthew Dale eyes Flemington Group 3 return for Danny's St Darci
Goulburn trainer Matthew Dale is likely to bring consistent sprinter Danny's St Darci back to her previous home state for Saturday's Group 3 Aurie's Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington. Danny's St Darci started her career in Victoria as part of the Archie Alexander stable at Ballarat where she was placed at Listed level before Dale's clients bought her for $70,000 last year. The rising seven-year-old has returned her buyers more than twice that amount in 12 months, courtesy of a Listed win in Brisbane and a pair of Group 3 placings in Melbourne and Sydney. Winning Saturday's Group 3 contest at Flemington would boost Danny's St Darci's broodmare value. Dale said the addition of blinkers and more aggressive race tactics were the key to Danny's St Darci's development. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'The biggest difference has been the blinkers and putting her into the race a little more than she was in the past,' Dale said. 'We decided to ride her to step her into gear with the blinkers and that really woke her up.' The Flemington 'Straight Six' course holds no fears for Danny's St Darci after her solid third in a Group 3 race during last year's Melbourne Cup Carnival. Danny's St Darci is set to tackle the Aurie's Star Handicap second-up after the mare beat one runner home when resuming in the July Sprint at Rosehill on July 19. Dale said Danny's St Darci was slightly disappointing first-up but noted she had only placed once in seven first-up attempts. • Monday Racebook: Brad Waters' horses to follow from Caulfield on Saturday 'Her first-up run was a little bit disappointing on face value but she had a few excuses there and she sort of builds into a preparation,' Dale said. 'Her form profile suggests she gets better as her prep goes on and, being an older mare now, I'd suggest that is more so. 'She's well travelled and well performed. 'We'll have a look at how she gallops on Tuesday and we'll have a look at the field. 'In the last two years, it's been a bit thin as there has only been about seven or eight runners in the race.' Danny's St Darci is one of 13 entries for the Aurie's Star Handicap with the impressive Grahame Begg-trained mare Splash Back likely to open favourite in 'all-in' markets on the $200,000 feature.

The Australian
3 hours ago
- The Australian
‘He's got some ability': Trainer Colvin's 2025 Kosciuszko hope Cambar ready to rip at Royal Randwick on Saturday
Wagga trainer Gary Colvin will be at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday with his 2022 Country Championships Final winner Another One and his 2025 Kosciuszko hopeful Cambar both in action. While he's a winner of nine races and more than $1 million, Another One hasn't saluted since capturing the Wodonga Cup in November 2023. His two winter runs have both been below what is considered his usual fare, finishing down the order at Randwick and Flemington during the month of June. 'We've sorted a few things out with him and I really expect a big improvement from him,'' Colvin says. 'It's a pretty hard race that he's in but we've got to run him in them and I just want to sort of see how he is going.' • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The Kosciuszko market could be in for a minor, or even major adjustment, depending on what Colvin's highly regarded Pierata son, Cambar, can deliver at his return to racing in Saturday's TAB Highway. 'I think he's got some ability,'' Colvin said. 'If he comes up to the mark where I think he will, I think he will definitely be looking at him for the Kosciuszko. 'He just had shin-soreness last time but he is back and going really well. 'I thought his trial at Albury was very good.' • Mitch Cohen's Blackbook: Five to follow from Royal Randwick on Saturday Colvin has another potential star of the 2025/26 season kicking off on day two of the new season, namely Party Boss, who turns three on Friday. 'I've got Party Boss in at Kembla,'' the trainer said. 'He's a nice horse on the way up. I've picked a hard race for him on Saturday but we might as well have a crack at his own age. 'He wasn't disgraced in the Black Opal. He drew wide and just never got in the race. 'He's had a good spell now and he's come back and I hope he goes alright.' Colvin's immediate focus rests with the outcome of Tuesday's scheduled meeting at Wagga which will be run on a Heavy 10, if at all. The popular local identity has several runners spread across the card namely Pride Of Jezza, Nic's Hero, Super Jules, Bonvalante, Newyork Missile, Philadelphia Storm and Kerma Art. Colvin's clear pick of the bunch is the booming last start winner, Pride Of Jezza. 'He's not bad,'' Colvin says. 'There is something about him, he won really easy last week.' Horse Racing Form analyst Shayne O'Cass presents his best bets and inside mail for Wellington on Thursday, plus his tips for the Wagga meeting. Horse Racing Mudgee trainer David Smith has a big week ahead starting on Tuesday and ending on Sunday chasing Big Dance eligibility at Forbes with his stable captain Lockdown Gamble.

The Australian
3 hours ago
- The Australian
Shayne O'Cass's Wellington, Wagga Tuesday tips: July 29, 2025
Form analyst Shayne O'Cass presents his best bets and inside mail for Wellington on Thursday, plus his tips for the Wagga meeting. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ WELLINGTON TIPS BEST BET Race 1 No.4 HANNAH'S BRIDGE: Has shown improvement from one run to the next; so close now. NEXT BEST Race 4 No.14 THE GIT UP: Placed at 10 of her 16 starts; this could be the day for breaking through. VALUE Race 7 No.8 PODCAST: Be right in the finish if she can bounce back to her pre-Highway form. QUADDIE Race 4: 3,5,6,14 Race 5: 1,4,5,11 Race 6: 5,6,10 Race 7: 8,13,14 JOCKEY TO FOLLOW Two-times SA Jockeys Premiership winner Chad Lever has some good rides out west today. WELLINGTON INSIDE MAIL RACE 1: Maiden Plate (1400m) HANNAH'S BRIDGE (4) was bred by her trainer Derek Piper and is a half-sister to her handy stablemate named Cheap Gas. As a daughter of Caulfield Guineas winner Divine Prophet, she should relish the 1400m for the first time on Tuesday. Her debut was good, her follow up was very good. Just has to handle the wet conditions. LOVE AIN'T FREE (1) handed in a PB last start when third at Dubbo. Drawn well. WINNING REIGN (12) is an 18-start maiden and the wet form is a worry but back to 1400m is a plus. BET: HANNAH'S BRIDGE (4) to win (best bet). RACE 2: Maiden Plate (900m) ANGIE'S SISTER (5) was $21 into $71 on debut in a 1000m Country Maiden on September 29 last year and ran a very cheeky race; she led and came in fourth of 14 at the finish behind a pretty handy winner in Taormina Sailor (see race 3 below). Market the guide again. MERE MORTAL (3) made his Michael Lynch-stable debut on July 15 at Warren, finishing second on the Heavy 8. Go well again. UFANA (9) is yet to win in 19 starts but hasn't run many bad races at all since Sharon Jeffries has had her. BET: ANGIE'S SISTER (5) to win, box First 4 Nos. 3,5,7,9,11. RACE 3: Benchmark 58 (900m) AORNINA SAILOR (7) will turn seven on August 1 but has only raced 10 times for one reason or another. What we do know about him is that he has talent. He's won twice with two placings and a handful of fourths and fifths. Comes off a smashing rival behind a good horse (Nimble Star, see race 5 below). CAPITAL DANCER (8) should feel comfortable in 'country grade'. HARD TOO IMPRESS (10) is very much on the right trajectory this campaign. Third-up, drawn well, good jockey, has handled the Heavy before. BET: TAORNINA SAILOR (7) to win, HARD TOO IMPRESS (10) to place. RACE 4: Maiden Handicap (1100m) THE GIT UP (14) remains winless after 16 starts but keep in mind that he has placed 10 times and five of them are seconds. There are no easy maidens in racing these days but this one looks well within his reach based on what he medalled in the past. NORTHERN EXPOSURE (3) is one for the pedigree buffs; in short, his third dam, North Fleur, is the granddam of the great Northerly. A veteran of four starts, he was placed at Dubbo on debut and has 'next time/more ground' written all over first-up at Muswellbrook. The 2023 Silver Goblet placegetter DUREN (5) has claims. BET: THE GIT UP (14) to win, box trifecta 3,5,6,14. RACE 5: Benchmark 58 (1100m) LIGHTNING SPEED (5) is ready to strike first-up BUT with nominations for two races at home at Scone on Thursday, one wonders if she will make the trip on Tuesday, more so given that all her form is on Good tracks. In her absence, all you can wind-in NIMBLE STAR (1) a few points; that said, he was always going to be popular given he is a Brett Robb-trained galloper who has won two of three and lost the rider at the other one. Stablemate DENMAN DEPUTY (4) is the one with the race fitness. More than that, he is a last-start winner. BET: LIGHTNING SPEED (5) to win or if scratched, DENMAN DEPUTY (4) and MISS KARIS (11) to place. RACE 6: Benchmark 66 (1600m) THE IMPECKABLE (6) has 16 starts for three wins, three seconds and four thirds. He goes on anything; his record on Heavy is two starts for a win and a third. One thing about him, from the outside looking in, is that he might not win every time but he does hold his form really well. BLUE GUITAR (5) has some seriously compelling numbers. Two of his four career wins are at a mile, he has placed on Heavy and is one for one at Wellington (should the meeting be at this venue). Building up to something and this could be it. BET: THE IMPECKABLE (6) to win, BLUE GUITAR (5) each-way, quinella 5,6. RACE 7: Class 2 Handicap (1400m) PODCAST (8), a $330,000 Magic Millions Yearling purchase in 2025, sold again for $3,000 online in February this year was going great guns prior to her two '00's at the last couple. That said, one was a TAB Highway and she actually wasn't that bad. Warren last start was harder to forgive but then again, they aren't machines and can have bad days. Mudgee mare KOBOLD (14)'s last two by contrast have been very encouraging, she beat a decent line-up at home on July 6 then was huge from near last to finish a length off the winner in a Class 1 at Bathurst. BET: PODCAST (8) each-way, KOBOLD (14) to place. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ WAGGA TIPS BEST BET Race 8 No.18 SUPER RIFF: Hit the line with purpose last start and has won on a heavy track. NEXT BEST Race 3 No.5 PRIDE OF JEZZA: Gary Colvin-trained gelding who was a booming winner on a Wagga heavy 10 last start. LAY OF THE DAY Race 3 No.6 FLUTTERBY: Has competition here and looks a good lay at $3 or less.