Unanimously Ready For Scone

Matthew Dale admits Saturday’s Listed Ortensia Stakes at Scone is a lottery, but feels Unanimously is going well enough to claim back-to-back feature wins.

Unanimously
Unanimously Picture: Racing and Sports

The six-year-old will line up for $140,000 against a mishmash of classy horses in the final race of the two-day Scone Carnival, hoping to build on his impressive Wagga Town Plate win two weeks ago.

“A lot of the horses don’t have the same formlines, it is a little bit hard to line up on that front,” Dale said.

“It’s the last race of a two-day carnival so that’ll impact on how the track’s playing.

“There’s a lot of speed in that race, Zaratone and Ichihara and the like, Raceway can show a lot of speed.

“He’s coming back in distance fourth-up and Glyn Schofield’s had one ride on him for a win in last year’s Wagga Town Plate.

“A horse like him he’s in good form and racing really well this preparation, you’ve got to be right in the thick of it that’s for sure.”

Unanimously became the first horse in 40 years to win back-to-back Wagga Town Plates on May 1.

It continued his strong run this campaign, following on from two near misses down in Melbourne.

“His form would suggest he’s going as good or better than ever,” Dale said.

“His two runs in Melbourne this preparation have been outstanding and obviously it was a good strong win in the Wagga Town Plate.

“He’s definitely in great form as a six-year-old and enjoying his racing.”

Meanwhile, the Dale yard celebrated another winner recently when Alluring Belle shed her maiden tag at long last.

The four-year-old landed a Leeton maiden on Saturday, after nine minor placings in her first 10 career starts.

“She’s a well-bred mare, but we had to go out there to get the win,” Dale said.

“She’s just one of those frustrating mares that seems to run a place wherever you put her.”


Racing and Sports