Boys' Day Out

Chance To Dance (8 g Teofilo - Crystal Ballet) and Scrutinize (5 g Savabeel - Legs) had an exhibition gallop between races during the twilight meeting on Friday at Tauranga.

Last start winner of the OMF Stakes (Gr. 3, 2000m) on Melbourne Cup Day at Ellerslie, Chance To Dance is preparing for the weight-for-age $200,000 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (Gr. 1, 2000m) on Boxing Day at Ellerslie.

Having returned off a lengthy layoff to trial well on 28 November at Matamata, Scrutinize continues his preparation to resume in the Rating 75 1300 metres on 2 January at Tauranga.

Working in unison, with Scrutinize (Michael McNab) on the inside of Chance to Dance (Cameron Lammas), the pair ran 1000 metres in 1:00.5, 800m in 46.4, and last 600m in 34.2.

Each rider reported to trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards a pleasing gallop by their respective mounts. Both galloped freely on the Good3 footing, and in particular it was great to see Scrutinize looking happy in his work and action after such a long injury lay-off.

Both horses were purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis.

Scrutinize, an impressive winner on debut as a two-year-old and second in the Hawkes Bay Guineas (Gr. 2, 1400m) at three, owned by the Te Akau Scrutinize Syndicate, was bought as a yearling by David Ellis for $200,000 at the 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale, from the draft of Waikato Stud.

His dam, Legs (Pins - River Century, by Centaine), was Joint top filly on the 2005-06 NZ 3YO Free Handicaps. She recorded Group One wins in the New Zealand Oaks (2400m) and Kelt Capital Stakes (2040m), won the Eulogy Stakes (Gr. 3, 1600m) and finished second in the Desert Gold Stakes (Gr. 3, 1600m) in a career of five wins from twelve starts for stakes of $875,428.

Irish import Chance to Dance was purchased in March for $260,000 by David Ellis, for Fortuna Syndications, at the inaugural Inglis Chairman's Sale of Elite Racing Prospects in Sydney. The winner of seven races from 2000m - 2400m, he has won nine in total from 31 starts - including two stakes' races since arriving in New Zealand.