Caption: Jarick Bale with Mark, Lisa and Myles Delbridge after winning the 2021 Sale Cup. (Photo: BlueStream Pictures)

Group 1 Sale Cup (640m)
Best nominated
Heats December 17. Final December 26.
$100,000 to the winner.

By DAVID BRASCH

WHEN Mark Delbridge looks at the performances of his grand warrior Jarick Bale, he smiles to himself and admits the dog can be an enigma.

To time of writing, Jarick Bale has started 110 times for 36 wins, 22 seconds and 14 thirds for stakes of $605,000. His greatest claim to fame is that he has won the past two runnings of the Group 1 Sale Cup.

He’s also won the G1 Rookie Rebel, a Maidment Memorial, been second in a G1 Sandown Cup, G1 Rookie Rebel, twice in the G2 Dillon Memorial and the G3 Destini Fireball, third in the G2 McKenna Memorial, as well as a finalist in the G1 Hume Cup.

The son of Allen Deed-Houston Bale is a dynamo.

“Yes, we will be heading towards a third Sale Cup with him all going well,” said Mark.

But Mark admits Jarick Bale can be an enigma.

“He needs to race for us to know how he is going,” said Mark. “Every single time we trial him he runs like a spastic. He’s been like that from day one when we first got him from the Wheelers.

“I’ll give you an example.

“Some time ago he won a big race over 600 metres and went 34.02. A few weeks later he won another race there in 34.09. But in between I had to trial him and he went 34.63. That’s what he does and always has done.

“He trials 23.20 over the short at Geelong and 18.30 at Ballarat. Of course, he races a lot better than he trials.”

Jarick Bale has been DNA tested for a future stud career but his semen has not yet been tested.

“Shane Stiff has been ringing wanting to use him when we are ready,” said Mark.

Jarick Bale will turn five in March next year but his form is as good as ever and Mark has every intention of aiming at the Sale Cup again.

He will be just one of a team Mark will point towards Sale.

The others include Ailee Bale, Velor Bale, Yachi Bale, Zoha Bale and possibly Wheatly Bale.

Yachi Bale was third last year not long after winning the Melbourne Cup.

“We’ve had niggling problems with him ever since the Melbourne Cup and when he was right and made the finals of the Golden Easter Egg and Million Dollar Chase, he drew the eight both times and was never a hope off that draw,” said Mark.

Mark says Jarick Bale too has had his issues, with hock and wrists a cause for minor concern.

“OK, he’s not the dog he used to be,” he said. “But remember he’s been going around for three years now.

“But the Sale Cup is his target again. There is no talk of retirement yet for him. He’s still competitive.

“If he makes the Cup final again, he will be the first to make that race three times. That’s something else.”

This year’s Sale Cup will be the first on the revamped circuit which underwent a massive reconstruction and got back to racing in September.