Mark Delbridge can’t split Melbourne Cup hero Yachi Bale and defending champion Jarick Bale as his best chance of celebrating back-to-back victories in the $120,335 Group 1 TRFM Sale Cup Final (650m) on Boxing Day (Monday).
“I think they can both win it,” Delbridge said.
“They’re much of a muchness. The only difference is that Jarick Bale is proven over 650m, while Yachi Bale is the up-and-comer.”
Sportsbet’s market on the $75,000 to-the-winner Sale Cup – Victoria’s only provincial G1 event – has young powerhouse Yachi Bale, barnstorming winner of the G1 Melbourne Cup last month, as the more fancied of Delbridge’s dynamic middle distance duo.
Yachi Bale (box 5) is the $4.60 second elect, behind $4 favourite Dookie Devil (box 2), with defending champion Jarick Bale (box 7) at $7.
Yachi Bale was only having his second start over 650m when contesting the first of four heats held last Sunday, having finished a disappointing, on face value, fourth at $1.90 at his Sale debut one week earlier.
Drawn in box 6, Yachi Bale started at $3.10, and gave Delbridge another scare when he was last early.
But the September ’20 son of The Meadows 525m record holder Allen Deed and Sammy Allen erased any distance doubts with a strong-finishing victory, running down Alpine Butterfly ($5.70) in the shadows of the post.
Yachi Bale clocked a slick 37.08sec, his tenth win from 25 starts.
WATCH: “Yachi got there in the last hop!” YACHI BALE (B6) overhauled ALPINE BUTTERFLY (B7) in the shadows of the post to win his G1 Sale Cup heat (650m) in a fast 37.08sec.
“He was a little bit disappointing the week before, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt,” Delbridge said.
“It was his first start there and I thought he felt his way around. He did fade a bit in the straight, but he only just missed third.
“I was told he cramped in the catching pen after the first run and he pulled up a little bit sore, but he’s pulled up great this week.
“He’d only had two 600s at The Meadows before the Melbourne Cup, so he can only improve.
“He went super in his heat, coming from last. He came out real ordinary and he would want to get out a lot better in the final. If he does, I think he can break 37 seconds.”
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Yachi Bale was shaded for qualifying honours by Great Guy (37.05sec) and Dookie Devil (37.07sec), while dual G1-winning kennelmate Jarick Bale earned the right to defend his crown, despite being upset by Lady Lily Hook in the remaining heat, beaten 1.25 lengths in 37.23sec.
It was just the second time Jarick Bale has been beaten in seven 650m assignments at Sale.
“He was probably a little bit disappointing, but the main thing was that he qualified. This week is what matters,” Delbridge said.
“He got a bit of interference in the back straight and the leader (Lady Lily Hook) got away. He still did a good job to run second.
“On their runs last week, Yachi Bale was the better run, but I’d like to see Jarick Bale win and go back-to-back.
“He turns four in March, so he mightn’t have a lot of racing left. Hopefully, he gets picked in the (G1) Rookie Rebel again and then we’ll see how he’s going.
“It just depends where they get to on the first corner. I would’ve preferred them both to draw closer to the rails, but Jarick Bale won last year’s final off ‘the pink’.
“I think they’re both as good as each other. I’m handling ‘Jarick’ and Lisa (wife) is handling ‘Yachi’. It was my choice too!”
If Jarick Bale is victorious, he will become only the second dual and back-to-back Sale Cup winner, joining Wylie Boy, which won consecutive Cups in 1995-96, when run over 511m, while Yachi Bale would create history as the first to complete the Melbourne Cup – Sale Cup double.
