Mark and Lisa Delbridge are on the ride of lives with last start Group 2 McKenna Memorial winner Christo Bale.
After a brilliant display of natural strength in his first Group race win at Sandown Park, it is onto the next task for the youngster – heats of the Group 1 KCR Pet Transport Maturity Classic at The Meadows.
Drawn in heat three of the 525m event, Christo Bale will jump from box two.
“We are happy with the box,” co-trainer Lisa Delbridge told Troy Iwanyk and Jack Heverin on SENtrack’s Mid-Week Meadows.
“It not an overly hard race and he is 100 percent ready to go. I am just hoping that he can jump like he has been over the 600m.”
Christo Bale has had two starts over the middle distance for two very commanding victories which includes his Group 2 McKenna Memorial win.
WATCH: Christo Bale win the Group 2 Mckenna Memorial from box three last week.
“We are so happy with how he is going. To be such a young dog and achieve so much already it’s pretty special,” Delbridge said.
“And he also improves every time he goes around.”
Team Delbridge also have Ellias Bale and Byron Bale in the Maturity Classic heats.
Ellias Bale is jumping from box two in the opening heat.
“He has a motor but is a bit tardy early,” Delbridge said.
“In the past he has shown he can jump, but the question is can he jump in the Maturity heat.”
“He is a strong dog and we had nominated him over 600 as well in case he didn’t get a start.”
Byron Bale is returning from a month on the sidelines in the sixth Maturity heat and will jump from box seven.
“I prefer him outside the track,” Delbridge said.
“He is nearly 41 kilos but the great thing is he doesn’t look that big on the track, he can get around corners as well.”
Delbridge is expecting Byron Bale to go well off the couple of trials he has had.
