Dame Margo Dances Home

A filly bought with staying races in mind, Dame Margo Fonteyn (3 f High Chaparral - Dancing Forever, by Keeper) recorded a timely victory at just her second start on 1 December at New Plymouth.

An $80,000 yearling purchase by David Ellis, for Fortuna Syndications (Mgr: John Galvin), from the draft of Cambridge Stud, at the 2015 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale, Dame Margo Fonteyn has followed a path predicted by Ellis.

“She is a lovely type of filly that was particularly good buying at the price. She strikes me as an athletic, staying type of filly and her dam, Dancing Forever (Keeper), impressed winning four times up to 2000 metres and showed plenty of athleticism and a great turn of foot,” said Ellis, at Karaka.

“She is the sort of filly we would educate through her two-year-old season and prepare for the staying fillies races at three. Races like the Lowland Stakes (Gr. 3, 2000m), Sir Tristram Fillies Classic (Gr. 2, 2000m) and New Zealand Oaks (Gr. 1, 2400m).

After winning a trial in August at Te Teko, her first start never quite panned out as intended and she resumed off 78 days in the First National Mills & Gibbon Real Estate Maiden 1400 metres.

First out of the gates, she was eased by jockey Matt Cameron to fourth when the pressure of competition mounted at the 800m, travelled up well to challenge at the 400m, and was dominant in the finish after claiming the leader 100m out.

Winning by one and a quarter lengths, Dame Margo Fonteyn ran the 1400 metres in 1:25.6 and paid $11.00 & $3.00 on the tote.

“Three months ago I phoned John Galvin and said that I think I've bought another really good filly for you,” Ellis said.

“She then went a disappointing race at Te Rapa, but we freshened her and she showed today that she is a filly that would win black type for certain I'd say.  She is another nice horse that I've bought for Fortuna and John is doing a great job syndicating these horses, and I get a big thrill out of winning races for him with horses that I've selected."

Fillies headed up by stakes' winners Windborne (Darci Brahma) and Darci's Dream (Darci Brahma), and including the talented Its Our Showtime (Showcasing).

Ellis also pointed out that Melody Belle (Commands), a filly he purchased for $57,500, and a winner with a polished display on debut at Ruakaka, carries the Fortuna colours in the $100,000 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (Gr. 2, 1100m) on Saturday at Trentham.

Dame Margo Fonteyn provided winners on successive days for trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards, after Alamosa Express (Alamosa) had scored on debut at Pukekohe.

“It was really good to see her win like that,” Richards said.

“John (Galvin) has been a good supporter of the stable for a long time and we always enjoy training winners for him.

“We've had an opinion of her since she won a trial at Te Teko, but we'd taken our time with her and the work leading in had been good. It was a good effort by the team at home to get her right today, and she certainly appreciated a little bit of cushioning in the track.

“She is a promising galloper and we would love to see her in some of the three-year-old staying races for fillies, after Christmas,” he said.

Dame Margo Fonteyn was strapped by Kerstin Bloch.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz