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By Ray Hickson

It’s been trainer Matt Dale’s plan for some six months to have Super Norwest close to her peak for the $150,000 Evergreen Turf South East Country Championships (1400m) at Nowra on Sunday.

Trainer Matthew Dale (Pic: Grant Guy)

On that score Dale is more than happy, but he concedes the strength of racing in the South East means you can’t be confident of earning one of the two prized spots in April’s $1m Final at Randwick.

The Goulburn trainer also has No Drama contesting the feature but after two runs back in arguably the strongest Highway races this year he feels Super Norwest has the right set up to be competitive.

“She’s a tough, on speed, horse that after winning a Highway and placing in a couple last prep we thought the timing was right to put her away for a crack at the Country Champs,’’ Dale said.

“She has a profile of improving as the preparation goes on. She gets a nice weight drop and a good draw so I think she will be right in the thick of it.

“They have been very strong Highways and on the back of those two solid runs, to be third-up and dropping in weight, getting a good gate, it’s a decent profile to run well.”

The four-year-old, $5.50 with TAB on Friday, was beaten just under four lengths by Clear Thinking and Highway Strip when resuming at Randwick a month ago.

She then found herself in front and pleased Dale with show she held on to be beaten a length by Lisztomania two weeks ago where jockey Ash Morgan had his first ride on the mare.

“First-up things went a bit pear shaped, she was ridden a bit too aggressive early up on a breakneck speed and she dropped out to some degree,’’ he said.

“Although not beaten far she was a little disappointing on face value.

“It was a more controlled gallop on speed second-up, she was left vulnerable at the top of the Randwick rise.

“She was just lost coming up the rise, she went left and right, and they sprinted to her and from that point on she held her ground and was strong through the line.”

Dale said the barrier draw fell in favour of both Super Norwest and No Drama and with the latter it’s up to the gelding to return to the form that saw him win at Canterbury back in July.

No Drama, a winner of five from 17, had support when he resumed at Randwick three weeks ago but things went awry at the start and he beat just one home.

While it was a Benchmark 88, Dale had higher expectations and is adamant his work is telling him he’s entitled to another chance.

“He had a good preparation last time and all the indicators were that he’d come back just as good,’’ he said.

“He was a bit fresh first-up and underperformed after being a little bit fresh pre-race.

“He wears a barrier blanket and he was awkward to begin from a low draw and once he got back in the ruck it could have been partly the reason he wasn’t that happy.”

What appeals to Dale about the barrier for No Drama is that it will allow jockey Nick Heywood to be a little aggressive, which suits the gelding’s style.

“The gate is perfect for him to get into a good, strong, rolling gallop. If I can forgive him first-up where I expected more, his work has been spot on and he looks fantastic,’’ he said.

Super Norwest's last start at Randwick on February 8

“We’ve kept the work up to him and it won’t surprise me at all if he bounces back to his strong ratings from last preparation.”

Matt Dale on Rose Aye (Race 1): "Last preparation her form was good without being really bullish through the line. She had an entrapped epiglottis so we had that procedure done and she came back a lot more bullish about herself. That culminated in a first-up performance in what wasn’t a strong maiden but the way she did it was impressive. She’s ticked over well, she looks to have definite Highway ability."

On Brannam (Race 2): He’s still very raw and immature. He’ll improve off the other day but whatever he does this prep he’ll be improved again next preparation.”

All the fields, form and replays for Sunday's Country Championships meeting at Nowra