Dale has a 100 per cent record with the 3-year-old, who is raced by Rob and Donna Love under their Love Racing banner, having produced her for consecutive victories on the track after gratefully taking charge of her.
“She’s having a really good prep and obviously two starts ago it was a good, fighting win and she improved on that to race away next time. She’s building an impressive record,” Dale said.
“She raced first-up for David Hayes for other interests and she then went to the Magic Millions Sale. One of the owners, the Love family, through James Harron bought back the horse and took up 100 per cent ownership.
Notation winning at Randwick
“James rang me and asked if I would take her on and she’s building a really nice profile.”
“James rang me and asked if I would take her on and she’s building a really nice profile.” – Matt Dale.
Offered by Coolmore and knocked down to Harron for $220,000, Notation is a daughter of the G1 Allan Robertson Championship winner Chocolicious (SAF) (Kahal {GB}).
“It’s a relatively new association. James has sent me a few horses in the last six months or so,” Dale said. “It’s obviously been a good way to kick that relationship off and getting good results with Notation.
“We’ve got a couple of others for the Loves. They bought another mare out of the Magic Millions, a full sister to Invincible Star called Gypsy Flyer.
“She came down with Notation and she’s had a handful of starts in Melbourne and hasn’t won a race. She’s in work at the moment.
“James has also sent me one for the Doyle family, a Tavistock yearling to train as well.”
Trainer Matt Dale
Smart sibling
Gypsy Flyer was a $150,000 purchase, her sibling Invincible Star is a dual Group 3 winner and a G1 Coolmore Stud S. runner-up with their dam Romany Flyer (Catbird) a half-sister to the G3 Eclipse S. winner Viking Hero (Elvstroem) and the family of the top-flight winners Unearthly (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) and Innocent King (Tolomeo {Ire}).
Future plans for Notation will be determined after her Randwick outing on Saturday.
“We’d love to get some black type at some stage and she’s also BOBS bonus filly and Magic Millions so there are plenty of options,” Dale said.
“She races on the speed and can handle good to heavy 10 tracks and they are few and far between. There’s an array of different ways to go, so many options.
“She’s also eligible for the Kosciuszko so we’ll decide what to do after the weekend. She’s been pretty straight forward, she easts well and we just have to keep her happy and sweet.”
The Kosciuszko is the spring target of Notation’s stablemate and well-performed sprinter Fell Swoop (Not A Single Doubt).
“He’s started galloping and will resume in early September in Melbourne,” Dale said.
“He’s started galloping and will resume in early September in Melbourne.” - Matt Dale.
“The main aim is the Kosciuszko, it looks the perfect race for him. It’s 1200 metres at Randwick where he’s got a very good record. Obviously, he placed in two TJ Smiths and last preparation won a Listed race over the course and distance beating Cradle Mountain.
“He placed behind Alizee in a Listed race and ran second behind Whispering Brook in the G2 Australia S.”
Fell Swoop has won 10 of his 36 starts, with success in the G2 Victory S. and further Group 1 placings in the Oakleigh Plate, the Manikato S. and the Darley Classic
The 7-year-old is closing in on career earnings of $2 million, an outstanding return on the $45,000 Dale paid for him at the 2013 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Fell Swoop will be aimed at the Kosciuszko
