Half-Sister to Dances on Stars at Karaka 2014

New Zealand-bred and sold galloper Dances on Stars (NZ) (Snitzel) produced a miraculous victory in the Listed $100,000 Tattersals Club Carrington Stakes (1100m) at Randwick on New Year’s Day delivering a devastating late sprint.

The win boosted the pedigree of the half-sister to Dances on Stars who is by Danroad and is catalogued at Lot 825 at the 2014 Karaka Select Sale for Highview Stud.

The Gerald Ryan trained runner entered the Listed race in a fresh state having not raced since July and did not have a barrier trial leading into the race.

Jockey Brenton Avdulla took the son of Snitzel back to the rear of the seven-horse field early in the race over the sprint distance of 1100m. Entering the straight Avdulla had nowhere to go as he was disappointed for a run on multiple occasions before getting out with less than 100m to go and Dances on Stars produced a brilliant turn of foot to hit the front in the dying stages of the race and win by quarter-of-a-length.

“If he got through the first time I thought he was going to win but after he got denied the second and third time I didn’t think he was going to get up but when he did get a bit of room he really exploded quick,” commented Ryan.

“He is a good horse fresh, he ran in all the good two-year-old and three-year-old races in Queensland and did win a Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes as a two-year-old. He has just had three months off and has come back good.

“There is not much for him now, there is the Takeover Target Stakes in 10 days’ time but that might be a bit quick for him or there is the Canterbury Sprint in three weeks so he will be aimed at one of those races.”

It was third victory in the career of Dances on Stars from 18-starts and the four-year-old gelding has earned $357,250 in prizemoney for his owners Mr B P Mullins, Ms D R Keegan, Mr P R Glenister & Mrs P A Glenister.

Bred by Hong Kong Breeders Club Ltd, Dances on Stars is out of Last Tycoon mare Starnet, a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Miss Margret (Marscay). Dances on Stars is a half-brother to Group 1 Queensland Derby runner-up Volcanic Star (Fuji Kiseki).

Dynamic Syndications purchased Dances on Stars at the 2011 Premier Sale for $95,000 from Highview Stud.