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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Matt Dale admits he’s throwing Duke Of Bronte somewhat in the deep end at Kembla Grange on Saturday but he sees the race as a win-win situation for the sprinter’s immediate future.

Matthew Dale (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The four-year-old has won three of his four starts for Dale including his impressive first-up Highway victory at Randwick on the Big Dance program so the Traffic Logistics Handicap (1000m) presents a leap in class.

Dale said it’s a worthy exercise to find out more about Duke Of Bronte’s promise because if he’s not quite up to it yet there is a suitable Highway for him to fall back on next month.

“Only a few starts ago he was in a maiden at Moruya so he’s come a fair way quickly and this is clearly an acid test,’’ Dale said.

“I bought him back through the Goulburn stable to aim at that Highway, that was the whole plan after having those first three runs. He nailed it.

“You’d think he would probably go to a midweek race after winning a Highway but in a 1000m 78 he’s quite nicely weighted. It looks the right race to test him up in grade.

“If he wins that’s outstanding and really shows he’s taken a big leap forward. It’s a good situation to be in.”

Duke Of Bronte, $3.70 with TAB on Friday, was formerly trained by Joe Pride and was sent by Laurel Oak to Dale winless after six starts with the hope he could be turned around.

The Goulburn trainer said clearly the gelding’s confidence is up, evidenced by overcoming blundering at the start of his Highway at Randwick and still proving superior, but at this stage he has no plans to extend beyond the short course.

He said the wide gate doesn’t concern him too much given his natural on speed racing style but is also adamant he’s not one dimensional.

“I think he is a dead set 1000m horse, at this stage anyway,’’ he said.

“The next two races look to be 1000m then we assess from there.

“These 1000m races are a bit specialist and there’s always speed in them. I don’t mind him from a wide gate in that you can assess what’s happening underneath.

“He’s going to be on speed but he doesn’t have to lead.”

Dale is expecting an improved performance from Capital Heart in the TAB Highway (1400m).

The gelding enjoyed a nice run behind the speed, hit the lead at the 200m at Randwick a month ago but couldn’t sustain the run over the mile so a drop in trip could be in his favour at Kembla.

“He looked a winning chance half way up the straight, but didn’t run the mile run out,’’ he said.

“I think he has to be an each way hope back to the 1400m.”

Duke Of Bronte wins at Randwick on November 5

Meanwhile, Front Page is set to have his final start of his preparation in next Saturday’s Listed Starlight Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill.

The eight-year-old followed his second placing in The Kosciuszko with a narrow defeat at Flemington two weeks ago. Dale said he’ll then head for a break and be set for another shot at the Group 1 Galaxy first-up in March.

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Kembla Grange meeting