She is the youngster on everyone’s lips but if you thought trainer David Pringle was buying into the hype around Midnight Dare, think again.
With four wins from four career starts, one could be forgiven for thinking the sky is the limit for Midnight Dare, but Pringle says he is just enjoying the ride for now, and looking forward to where her success takes her.
The trainer from Clergate couldn’t be prouder of his 25-month-old, but knows there is bigger races to be run, and won, for his pup.
“I am proud of her but in saying that, the hardest field she’s been in was up at Coonamble” said Pringle.
“There were some pretty handy pups up there in the maiden race.
“The run the other night at Wentworth Park was impressive. Her last 100-150m was the most impressive for one of my dogs that I’ve seen in a long time.
“The race [at Wenty] only being with five other dogs, I wouldn’t say it’s really too much to gloat about but it’s still good.
“She’s winning by 10 lengths plus nearly every time which is good.”
It’s the winning margin of Midnight Dare that is becoming a trademark of the youngster.
In her four career starts, she has won by margins of 11.50 lengths (Coonamble Cup Heat), 8 lengths (2019 Coonamble Cup Final), 10.25 lengths (Bathurst, Feb 25) and now 10.75 lengths at Wentworth Park.
Added to her impressive winning margins, Midnight Dare is running strong times, hitting the 29.55sec mark in Saturday’s run.
“In the overall time, when you go back and have a look at the dogs who are running 29.5 over the last 12 months, there’s not many.
“I expected her to run around 29.5. I said the other day that if she can run 29.5, I wouldn’t be surprised if she could run a little quicker and if she was in an earlier race she could have.
“We’ve trialled her twice at Dubbo and she’s gone around 29.35 both times and I think the record there is 29.27 so you know she can run.”
Pringle said that this pup’s ability to get away early is a pleasant surprise, and sets her apart from his other dogs who are traditionally slower out of the boxes.
“Being a pretty good beginner helps her out a bit which for our breed is not common.
“Burn One Down was pretty impressive with what he did in Sydney with the stayer’s races coming from a long way back and running down some good dogs but for a pup that’s had four starts to do that against dogs like she did on the last 150m was pretty impressive.
“They’re normally a bit slower and work their way through the field but for her to jump in front well it’s a lot easier for her to keep going once she’s in front.”
Next up for the star pup is another run at Wentworth Park, in Saturday night’s Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg Preludes.
Pringle is optimistic about her chances after strong trial form at the same venue, but believes a major focus for his youngster is to take it all in and learn from the experience.
“Hopefully she goes through her Prelude [Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg] alright and it would be good if she won it and then we’ll just go out and give her another run around the bush and keep away from Wentworth Park until the Easter Egg Series starts.
“She’s had a trial there [Wentworth Park] a few weeks ago where she went 29.77 so we knew she could go alright there but you know seeing the kennels, second last race, travelling over the mountains, it’s all experience for her.
“It’s all going to benefit her down the track.”
Keep an eye on Midnight Dare in this Saturday night’s Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg Preludes, and see all the other racing action from Wentworth Park, Saturday here.
*Picture: Midnight Dare with David Pringle's son Bailey.
