Rhythm Proves Shrewd Purchase

18th August 2007

Exciting Danehill Dancer colt Shrewd Rhythm (3c Danehill Dancer – Balcanny, by Canny Lad) kicked off his spring campaign with an explosive win in the Listed MRC Vain Stakes over 1100 metres at Caulfield on Saturday.

The Greg Eurell trained three year-old ended up near last when the field turned for home but after bullocking his way clear, the powerhouse bay surged to the line to win by the best part of a length over progressive colt Purrealist (3c Tale of the Cat – Surrealist, by Kenny’s Best Pal).

Shrewd Rhythm was right there with the best Victorian juveniles in the autumn winning the Group Three MRC Blue Diamond Prelude and finishing third in the Group One MRC Blue Diamond Stakes, so his victory was hardly unexpected.

After the race it was announced that Shrewd Rhythm had been the subject of a $2million offer from Lindsay Park Stud the night before and subject to a vet check on Monday morning, the horse will now join the stable of David Hayes.

Shrewd Rhythm was purchased for $130,000 by part-owner Len Whitta at the 2006 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale in Melbourne and has won three races and placed twice from five starts earning $315,750.

Bred and offered for sale by Limerick Lane Thoroughbreds, Shrewd Rhythm is a three-quarter brother to Group Two winning sprinter Blur being from the Canny Lad stakes-winner Balcanny.

The two year-old half-brother to Shrewd Rhythm by Johannesburg was sold to Nick Williams for just $100,000 at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale earlier this year and the mare has a yearling full sister by Danehill Dancer in the pipeline.

Shrewd Rhythm becomes the first Australian stakes-winner of the new season for Danehill Dancer, who has been on fire in Europe this year where he is the leading sire by winners.

Runner-up in the race Purrealist stamped himself as a bright spring prospect with his strong finishing second at just his third race start.

A $700,000 purchase from the Coolmore draft at the 2006 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Purrealist is a half-brother by Tale of the Cat to four-time Group One winner Racing to Win.