Delbridge plots Sale Cup defence

[Wandering Eyes]

Reigning Sale Cup champion Jarick Bale will be striving to make amends for a surprise defeat in last year’s final when he lines up in Sunday night’s $14,960 Rotti Security Distance Championship (650m).

The Victorian Stayer of the Year, Jarick Bale has won four from five over Sale’s Cup course, his only defeat coming when third at $1.60 in last year’s Distance Championship.

Trained by recent Melbourne Cup winner Mark Delbridge, Jarick Bale is the fastest qualifier for the $10,000 to-the-winner Distance Championship – race 8 at 8.32pm – after a 37.16sec heat victory last Sunday, his 34^th win at start 88.

“Yachi Bale is unproven over the 650m. We’ll see on Sunday night if he runs it!”

The other heat went to Michelle Mallia’s G1 Hume Cup heroine Aston Velvet in 37.35sec.

“I reckon Jarick Bale is going just as good as he was this time last year, give or take a length or two,” Delbridge said.

“Put it this way, I still think I can win another Sale Cup with him!

“When they went past the winning post the first time in his heat, he was a lot further back than I expected him to be, but then they opened up going around the first corner and that was it.

“Once he got around the leader (Fernando’s Quest) he took off.

“I think he’s well-drawn in Box 8. He won the Sale Cup heat and final off ‘the pink’.”

WATCH: JARICK BALE (2) enhanced his excellent Sale 650m record when setting the pace in last Sunday’s Distance Championship heats, defeating ARIARNE BALE (B4) in 37.16sec.

Delbridge has an embarrassment of riches heading into Sunday week’s (December 18) Sale Cup heats, with Melbourne Cup hero Yachi Bale and Jarick Bale sitting atop Sportsbet’s ‘All In’ market at $6 and $8, respectively.

After being eliminated from the G1 Silver Chief last weekend, when running fourth in his heat, Yachi Bale will also be in action at Sale on Sunday, stepping up to 650m for the first time in the Valda Clavarino GDR – race 9 at 8.50pm – where he’s also drawn box 8.

“I was a little bit disappointed he didn’t run a place in his (Silver Chief) heat,” Delbridge said.

“Box 7 was a bit of a worry and then he hit ‘the six’ straight out of the boxes and couldn’t get around them after that. He might like Sandown better than The Meadows. I’m not sure.

“I would’ve preferred him to draw closer to the fence on Sunday.

Click HERE  for Sportsbet’s latest ‘All In’ Sale Cup market

“I’d say Jarick Bale is the better chance, just because Yachi Bale is unproven over the 650m. We’ll see on Sunday night if he runs it!”

Delbridge also has two other key chances at Sale in Yachi Bale’s litter brother Zoha Bale (race 5 over 520m), which is also bound for the Sale Cup, and Nitro Bale (race 10, Grade 5 final over 440m).

“Zoha Bale will run 650m no worries, he wasn’t quite ready for it this week, but he will be next week,” Delbridge said.

“Nitro Bale went the quickest in the Grade 5 heats (24.81sec) and while Steve White’s dog (Not For Profit) has won seven in a row, I give him every chance of winning if he comes out like he has been.”

On Saturday night at The Meadows, Delbridge and wife Lisa will be chasing their second G1 victory in as many weeks, when Landyn Bale exits box 1 in the Sportsbet Silver Chief Final.

Winner of nine from 17, including four from seven at The Meadows, Landyn Bale is $8.50 in a market dominated by near-record heat winners Amron Boy ($2.40F) and Rejuvenate ($2.50).

“I’ll definitely lead, it just depends what the two (Rejuvenate) and three (Amron Boy) do,” Delbridge said.

“Landyn Bale was underdone going into the heats, so he will improve on 30.06sec. He’s run 29.80sec at The Meadows before, but he’s not overly strong in his run-home.”

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