After all, the stayer always saves his best for Wagga Wagga.

Animalia is bouncing back to form just in time for Sunday's Murrumbidgee Cup (1800 metres), with the five-year-old coming off a podium finish at the same venue.

The Dale-trained gelding ran second in a benchmark 84 (2000 metres) last month, in what was his first podium finish since returning from a 38-week spell.

Dale says the finish proved Animalia is back in the zone but will still use Sunday's race to see whether he's worth a start in the Wagga Gold Cup on May 1.

"I think he saves his best for Wagga and he's ticked over nicely since," Dale said.

"He showed last start he's back in good form and he's quite well placed for the Murrumbidgee Cup, even though he's back in trip slightly.

"I think with a positive ride, he'll up in the first five early and it'll be a good sight.

"We're really happy with him bouncing back so if he can continue that on Sunday, then we'll give him his chance in the Wagga Cup. He ran it so well last year."

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Animalia ran fourth in the Wagga Gold Cup last year, with Dale eyeing the chance for higher honours when it comes around in two weeks.

The listed race was set to be run for $200,000 for the first time in its history this year. But it's been cutback to $160,000 following Racing NSW's decision to cut prizemoney at all TAB meetings until at least June 30.

The Canberra Racing Club has also been forced to slash prize money totals amid the coronavirus outbreak, but only to the Federal race conducted at each meeting.

"You never like prize money decreasing but under the current circumstances it's understandable," Dale said.

"We're blessed to still be racing and understand how the races are funded, some changes had to be made.

"Racing NSW led the way with dropping their prize money and Canberra just took it off the Federal, not other races. It's understandable and we're happy to roll with that."

Dale was meant to launch a two-pronged attack on Sunday's heat of the Wagga Stayer Series, but opted to send Shanghai Patrol to Orange instead.

The six-year-old stayer finished second in the Orange Gold Cup (2100 metres) on Friday, with Dale now eyeing a benchmark 72 (2400 metres) for him at Warwick Farm on April 29.

"He ran really well and it was close to a career best performance," Dale said.

"He looks on target to race in Sydney in a few weeks time."

The Dale-trained Terra Reign finished fourth in the benchmark 70 (1800 metres) at Kembla Grange Saturday, while Gratz Vella's came 13^th in the Catanach's sprint (1200 metres) at Royal Randwick.