Dancer Takes Centre Stage

An impressive victory by two-year-old Magic Dancer (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) took centre stage at Taranaki’s meeting on Saturday in the $75,000 Group 3 Phoenix Park 2YO Classic (1200m).

Magic Dancer wins the Group 3 Phoenix Park 2YO Classic. Photo courtesy of Race Images Palmerston North.

Winning on debut in October on a Heavy track, Magic Dancer claimed her second win whilst also claiming her first stakes victory on a Good track on Saturday. Lightly raced, she has had just four starts with her other two starts resulting in third and fourth placings for trainers Graeme and Debbie Rogerson.

“It was a nice ride and a very good effort,” commented Debbie Rogerson. “She was a late nomination but I had a look at the form and decided to have a go.

“She worked super during the week and I was quite confident.”

It was jockey Darryl Bradley’s first association with Magic Dancer as they jumped forward from barrier 1. Racing one off the rail with stable mate Halleloojah (NZ) (Swiss Ace) on her inside, Magic Dancer turned the corner to swing to the lead.

Our Rokkii (NZ) (Roc De Cambes) was unable to catch Magic Dancer on the home straight as she cruised to victory by 2.7 lengths. Our Rokkii ran on to finish in second position and Girlsarebackintown (NZ) (Murtajill) took third place.

The two-year-old filly has quickly collected $50,750 in prizemoney to date for her owners T Bawden, J Brown, P Favretto, C Gray, B Harris, C Hutchison, D Lake, Mrs R Massey, R Ratcliffe and Graeme Rogerson.

Magic Dancer was purchased at the 2014 Karaka Select Sale by Rogerson Bloodstock for $90,000 from Monovale Farm.

Bred by Paul and Cushla Smithies’ Monovale Holdings, Magic Dancer is out of stakes winner Dazzling Belle (Desert Sun), winner of three Listed races and placed in a further three stakes races. Magic Dancer is a half-sister to the runner-up in the Group 1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes Manten (Encosta de Lago), and is a half-sister to stakes placegetter Perkins (Sir Percy).

Paul and Cushla Smithies also bred Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes winner Adrift (NZ) (Zabeel) in Sydney on Saturday. This was the second time in the last month the breeders have achieved a stakes winning double on a Saturday with Group 1 winner Puccini (NZ) (Encosta de Lago) and Platinum Witness (California Dane) replicating the feat in January.