Three-time Group 1 bridesmaid Stolen Dance (NZ) (Alamosa {NZ}) finally claimed an elusive Group 1 victory, after saluting in the G1 Harcourts Thorndon Mile at Trentham on Saturday. The 22-1 shot's middle move proved decisive over Watch This Space (NZ) (Elusive City) and Hiflyer (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}).
One of two hailing from the Andrew Forsman/Murray Baker barn, the Gerald Shand colourbearer found herself in a cluster of three at the tail of the field as Sam Spratt allowed her mount to find a steady rhythm. Picking off rivals with a wide sweeping move shortly after the 1000-metre mark, the dark bay loomed four deep at the 600m, before forging to the front. Hiflyer gave chase inside the final quarter mile, as did Watch This Space from nearer the fence, but they were running for place honours. The margin was two lengths on the line, with Watch This Space only a short head to the good of Hiflyer.
“She really deserved this and it's great for Gerald,” co-trainer Andrew Forsman told NZRacing.com, of Gerald Shand who purchased the mare after a ninth-place run in last year's edition of the Thorndon Mile. “We got her after a lot of hard work by [trainer] David Greene, we're lucky to have her for her last preparation. She could run in the [G1] Herbie Dyke S. [on Feb. 10], but maybe this is her last run.”
Currently in foal to Cambridge Stud resident Tavistock (NZ), Stolen Dance had last visited the winner's circle in a 1400-metre event at Tauranga in January of 2017. A MGSW in her native land in 2015, the dark bay had finished second in the 2016 edition of this race, as well as in Group 1s on either side of that effort, but had little to show for much of this spring campaign. Sixth in both the G2 Tauranga S. on Nov. 18 and the G3 Eagle Technology at Ellerslie on Dec. 2-the latter to Hiflyer, Stolen Dance ran third, one behind Saturday's favoured stablemate Love Affair (NZ) (Savabeel {NZ}) in the Dec. 16 G2 Cal Isuzu S. switched to Te Rapa. She reported home sixth in the G1 Zabeel Classic on Boxing Day.
Pedigree Notes…
The second top-flight winner for O'Reilly (NZ) stallion Alamosa (NZ) after G1 VRC Oaks heroine Kirramosa (NZ), Stolen Dance is out of an unraced half-sister to Australian MGSW The Fuzz (NZ) (Danasinga {Aus}). Kainui Belle (NZ) (Kashani), a MGSW in New Zealand, who also ran second in the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas and third in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas, is under the third dam. Farther back, this is the family of G1 Auckland Cup hero Able Master (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).Songbird foaled a full-brother to the winner in 2016 and produced a Tavistock (NZ) filly in 2017. Click for the free Arion.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Saturday, Trentham, New Zealand
THORNDON MILE-G1, NZ$200,000 (US$145,513/£105,026/€119,059), WRC, 1-20, Open Set Weight With, 1600mT, 1:36.48, Dead.
1–STOLEN DANCE, 53.0, m, 6, by Alamosa
1st Dam: Songbird, by Black Minnaloushe (USA)
2nd Dam: Drama Queen, by Prince of Praise
3rd Dam: Lady Ukiah, by Straight Strike (USA)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-G A Shand; B-B G & Miss J C Rogers,
Waikato, NZ; T-M Baker & A Forsman; J-S C Spratt;
NZ$118,750. Lifetime Record: 28-10-5-2, NZ$497,825. Werk
Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Watch This Space, 55.0, g, 6, Elusive City (USA)–Multi Tasker,
by Kaapstad. O-Mrs M E A Evans; B-Mrs M E A Evans,
Auckland, NZ; T-W P Hillis; J-S R Weatherley; NZ$38,000.
3–Hiflyer, 57.0, g, 5, Tavistock–Lady Firebird, by Stravinsky
(USA). O-Lady Justine & Sir Patrick Hogan & Go Henry Racing
Syndicate; B-Sir Patrick & Lady Hogan, Waikato, NZ; T-P W
Lock; J-J Parkes; NZ$19,000.
Margins: 2, SHD, 1 3/4; Odds: 22.90, 16.30, 4.10.
Also Ran: Savvy Dreams, Savile Row, Shadows Cast, Prince of Passion, Splurge, Amarula, Love Affair, Ruud Not Too.
Click for the Racing Post chart. NZ Racing Video.
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