WARRNAMBOOL trainer Aaron Purcell believes his consistent galloper Dashing has improved off his first-up Moonee Valley effort earlier this month leading into a $150,000 benchmark race at Flemington on Saturday.
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Purcell told The Standard he wished to have a stable of horses like Dashing.
"Dashing is just a good consistent horse who puts 100% into his races," the group 1 winning trainer said. "I think this would be his best preparation. I thought it was a good performance at the Valley and he's improved with that run under his belt.
"His owners have been very patient. We've just taken Dashing along slowly. We've given him time to mature and I'm hopeful his owners may be rewarded big time in this preparation. He's always been a nice horse. He's run just a length or two behind some good horses and I think he might measure up to those horses this time in work."
Apprentice jockey Sheridan Clarke, who had her first ride on Dashing at the Valley has retained the mount on Saturday.
"Sheridan's three-kilogram claim brings us right into the race and it's great she's ridden Dashing previously," Purcell said.
"Dashing has a couple of quirks and Sheridan will be aware of them. We've drawn a good barrier and I'm expecting we'll be travelling on the pace. We've got a couple of nice races planned for this campaign but it all depends how he runs on Saturday as to which path we go down in the future."
Dashing, who cost $75,000 as a yearling in 2021 has won four of his 20 starts and earnt over $390,000 in stake money for his connections.
Fellow Warrnambool trainers Tom Dabernig, Maddi Raymond, Lindsey Smith and Daniel Bowman also have runners at Flemington. Dabernig saddles up Bon's Your Back and Picaroon while Raymond accepted with Rolls and Home Rule. Sir Atlas runs for Smith and Fortunate Kiss carries the hopes of Bowman.
