Dale rarely starts any more than five horses at a meeting and can’t recall having so many runners at his home track meeting.

“Five would be the most I have had and hopefully there is a winner or two amongst them,” he said.

“There are some very competitive races and it won’t be easy – if the stable can get one winner we will be happy.”

Arthur Porrit is aiming for his third straight win in the Bogong Cup with Jake Duffy aboard.

Duffy will also ride Hurricane Jack, Eric The Axe and Gagosian for Dale, while Josh Richards will be aboard Lawton Joseph in the same race.

“Arthur Porrit is racing well, stays in the same grade and rises in the weight by two and a half kilograms,” Dale said.

“He is drawn nicely and I expect him to be competitive again.

“Lawton Joseph and Gagosian are dropping back to 1175 metres and haven’t raced for about 30 days and will be finishing strongly.”

The trainer is enthusiastic about Eric The Axe and Hurricane Jack who have had limited racing for Dale.

Eric The Axe ran fifth on debut, while Hurricane Jack has had three starts for Dale.

“Eric The Axe is really improving and he looks to have a good chance although he still has a bit to learn about racing,” he said.

“The other horse hasn’t bene far away in a few starts for me and is ready to show up.”

Meanwhile, it’s a big step from a maiden victory at Wagga to a Benchmark 66, but that is the race trainer John Rooney has chosen for Macca’s Hero.

The speedy mare broke though at her sixth start and jumps up in grade on Saturday.

Macca’s Hero was one of two Wagga winners for Rooney who only had the two runners on the day.

The trainer turns 77 next Wednesday and hopes Macca’s Hero can do it again with a light weight on her back.

“She has no weight and will be competitive if she races as well as she did last start,” he said.

The trainer has had several doubles with his only two runners and also trained Pink Shimmer to win the 2008 Snake Gully Cup.