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Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle has been eyeing off a Midway for consistent galloper Dalaalaat for some time but now he’s also considering how well the new $700,000 Four Pillars could suit the horse.
The Four Pillars is a 1500m race to be run on Golden Eagle Day, October 30, restricted to benchmark 68 level and metro and provincial stables that are eligible for the weekly Midway concept.
It's also a slot race with the 18 runners to be determined by the winners of a special draw in conjunction with The Kosciuszko that was held on Thursday and operates in a similar fashion with the slot holders winning a share of the prizemoney won by their selected horse.
Nathan Doyle said Dalaalaat has already proven to be effective up to 1400m, he hasn't been tested beyond that, and he's ready to show his wares in the $100,000 Midway Handicap (1200m) at Kembla Grange on Saturday.
"It was always the plan to run in a Midway first-up, I thought he was quite dominant first-up last prep when he won at Scone,'' Doyle said.
"If we went to the races and won another one he'd have to go down and carry 59 or 60kg whereas we still get in with 55kg which is ideal. They tend to go along pretty quick in these Midway races so that will suit him as well.
"He is a horse that is better on the fresh side and I can't fault the horse."
The five-year-old, $11 with TAB on Thursday, was placed at Warwick Farm in March and hasn't raced since being beaten 2.6 lengths in a Class 2 at Scone that included subsequent city winners like Papal Warrior and Gravina.
He's trialled twice in the lead up to a return, winning his latest at Muswellbrook on August 18.
"The race he ran in at Scone on Cup Day was a strong form race and he's come back a bit better in his second prep with us so he's got to be right in the race if he gets the right run in transit,'' Doyle said.
Doyle welcomed the introduction of the Four Pillars and said the challenge now is to identify the right horses in his stable and program them effectively in the coming weeks.
In Dalaalaat's case he's currently rated 63 and that will obviously increase if he's to win first-up.
"We have a little room to move and he runs 1400m strongly so I don't see why he wouldn't be one of those horses,'' he said.
"A 68 rating race is quite low, the Midways are 72s and they are quite competitive but when you drop back those four or five points in ratings it's a different class of horse.
"We have the Provincial Championships but we didn't have that big prizemoney race to target. It's a great initiative and it might get bigger and stronger in time.
"Just off the top of my head we'll have a couple of horses but like the Kosciuzsko you've still got to be picked."
