Dancer Delivers a Te Akau Double
Date: 29 Apr 2022
Mark Walker gained his second double this week when Dancing Sands (3 f Contributer - Tonic, by Blues Traveller) won the $12,000 NZB Insurance Pearl Series Maiden Fillies & Mares 1400 metres on 29 April at Rotorua.
Earlier on the card, Florencenightngale (Rip Van Winkle) recorded a smart debut win, after Luxuriant (Iffraaj) and Lightning Field (Deep Field) had effected a double two days earlier at Hawera.
Since resuming as Te Akau trainer on 1 April, Walker, who won five premierships in New Zealand before transferring to Singapore, where he collected another four, has prepared 12 winners including four stakes wins.
Dancing Sands had worked three wide before tying up on slow ground when debuting in a Maiden 1200 metres on 20 March at Tauranga, and, given time (40 days), she won a trial on 12 April at Avondale.
Ridden from the gates by Opie Bosson before situating perfectly in third, Dancing Sands appeared the biggest danger turning for home and had the weigh on to defeat another three-year-old Bit Nosy (Showcasing).
“It was a good effort because she had a slight setback when a bit off colour for a few days and we had to scratch her from the last meeting at Matamata,†Walker said.
“We had to back off her work, so taking that into account I thought she did very well to win after being pushed a bit wide rounding the home turn.
“It's great to win another race for Paul (Ryan). He's always been a keen Matamata racing man and his colours have been carried by plenty of winners.
“She's from a good mare, Tonic, and I think she's a filly that will continue to improve with maturity. She's not overly big, but gutsy and tries really hard.â€
On footing that remained Soft5, Dancing Sands, with blinkers on, ran 1400 metres in sharp 1:22.7 and drifted late to pay $5.00 & $2.10 on NZ TAB tote.
Dancing Sands is bred and owned by Paul Ryan, who recently had dual winning half-sister Vicenza (Sacred Falls) in the stable before meeting her mark and transferring to the South Island.
By successful young Mapperley Stud stallion Contributer (High Chaparral), triple Group 1 winner in Australia, Dancing Sands is out of triple stakes winning mare Tonic (Blues Traveller).
Ryan also owned and raced Tonic, South Island Filly of the Year in 2003, who passed on her racing prowess to become a prolific producer. Tonic has now left seven individual winners of 28 races.
Earlier in April on gavelhouse.com, Mapperley Stud offered a yearling filly by their young resident sire Complacent (Authorized) out of Tonic, purchased by former Te Akau assistant trainer Pam Gerard for $6,100.
Through her sire lines, Dancing Sands carries a cross to immortal sire Northern Dancer.
Dancing Sands was strapped by Kendyll Lee.
Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz
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