ASTUTE Canberra trainer Matthew Dale enjoyed another successful hit and run mission at Murrumbidgee Turf Club on Tuesday.
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Dale possesses a lethal strike rate when bringing runners to Wagga and Tuesday's seven-race card was no different as two out of his three representatives produced wins.
Neidr Dawn ($9.50) sat three wide throughout and still proved too good for his rivals with a two-length victory in the Inland Power Solutions Pty Ltd Maiden Handicap (1400m).
Speedy mare Distillate ($2.70fav) then made it a double for Dale with an all-the-way victory in the Riverina Signmakers Wagga Winter Sprint (1000m).
While other winners had begun to come out wide on the heavy nine track, Distillate bucked the trend by sticking to the rails and toughing out a half-head victory.
It was Distillate's fifth career win from 15 starts and Dale said what you see is what you get with the four-year-old Dissident mare.
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"She likes the short course, we were able to get her down in the weights, she handles the wet and Louise (Day) executed it really well," Dale said.
Having built such a strong record, and not liking it much further than the 1000m trip, Dale said it begins to get difficult to place Distillate.
"It's very much race by race for her," he said.
"These horses that are pretty pigeon-holed with their distance ranges, you've just got to pick your mark and it gets harder and harder with every race you win.
"So it will be back to the drawing board. She's been in a fair while but she's had a good little prep.
"We'll just see, if she pulls up okay, we might roll the dice again in something that would nearly have to be in the city, and get her right down in the weights and have a crack."
Distillate downed the gallant Seventh Seal ($6.50) by a half head, with Tulla Park ($6.00) a further two and three quarter lengths back in third.
Nick Heywood was the winning jockey as Neidr Dawn bounced back from a last-start failure to breakthrough for his maiden win at start number three.
Dale said there is plenty of upside with the three-year-old.
"He's got no idea what he's doing, he's very, very raw but it was good to see him do that, he'll get confidence out of that but he will go for a spell now," he said.
As for another successful trip to Wagga, Dale was full of praise for the course.
"We just love coming down here," he said.
"It's such a good track, a big open track, that's fair, you can lead, you can come from last so there is no excuses if you get beat here really. If you place them in the right race, and they're fit and well, then it's on you."
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