Trans Tasman Stakes Double for Danehill Dancer
23rd February 2008
Outstanding sire Danehill Dancer featured with a trans-Tasman stakes double on Saturday with a Group Two victory for Light Fantastic and a Listed success in New Zealand for juvenile colt Minstrel Court.Lightly raced gelding Light Fantastic (3g Danehill DAncer x Leica or Not, by Kendor) confirmed his status as a rising star when he took his record to three wins from as many starts when capturing the Group Two MRC Perri Cutten Stakes over 1400 metres at Caulfield on Saturday.
The long striding grey with the silver mane and tail is impossible to miss in a race, particularly when he lets down with the sort of acceleration that is going to carry him to a Group One win sooner rather than later.
He settled beautifully in the run and when asked to go out after the smart filly Vivacious Spirit, Light Fantastic did so with gusto, zooming past to win by a length.
The Mick Price trained star has enjoyed a meteoric rise, winning on debut at Kyneton on February 3, followed by his first Black Type victory last Saturday and now seven days later a Group Two triumph, his earnings soaring to $185,500.
“It’s a big ask to back up in seven days, step up in grade and distance ….. it’s very unusual and normally I wouldn’t ask a horse to do it, but he’s unusually good,” said Mick Price.
“I’ve done not much with him this week given the quick back up and it’s been a case of relying on pure natural ability, he has a big motor in there!”
A home bred for Mr and Mrs Bob Scarborough’s Wood Nook Farm, Light Fantastic is the third stakes-winner for the Kendor mare Leica or Not, a half-sister to dual Doncaster Handicap winner Pharoah.
A majestic looking individual, Light Fantastic is a half-brother to Group One New Zealand Derby winner Leica Guv and Group Three winner Lectrice being from the famed ‘Leica’ family that has been a prolific source of stakes-winners in this country for many years.
Light Fantastic is one of 60 odd stakes-winners worldwide for Coolmore based Danehill Dancer who did not cover in Australia this spring as a result of EI.
He also added a new stakes-winner to his tally in New Zealand where two year-old colt Minstrel Court (2c Danehill Dancer x Tregurrian, by Rory's Jester) took out the Listed Ford Fairview Slipper at Matamata over 1200 metres.
Trained by Mark Walker for David Ellis’s Te Akau Syndicate, Minstrel Court has now won three of four starts.
Purchased for $100,000 from the draft of Swettenham Stud at the 2007 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale, Minstrel Court is the seventh foal of the stakes-placed Rory’s Jester mare Tregurrian, a half-sister to Group Two winner Newquay, Group Three winner Civili List and stakes-winner Lands End.
Danehill Dancer has quality drafts at upcoming sales with seven for Inglis Premier, 18 for Magic Millions on the Gold Coast and 12 for Inglis Easter.
