Tauranga Outing for Grp 1 Contender

The Informant reports:

Multiple stakes winner Chance To Dance will further his Group One preparation at Tauranga today.

The well-travelled eight-year-old has won two of his three New Zealand starts and is progressing well toward the Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.

The Irish-bred Chance To Dance was successful first-up in the Listed Karaka Classic at Pukekohe before he was caught three wide without cover when beaten in the Gr. 1 Livamol Classic at Hawke's Bay.  The son of Teofilo bounced back at Ellerslie last month to beat Mime in the Gr. 3 OMF Stakes and has purposefully been kept fresh since.

“We wanted to give him a bit of time as an older horse and he appreciates a quieter lifestyle,” said Jamie Richards, who trains Chance To Dance with Stephen Autridge.

“He looks terrific and we were going to trial him at Te Aroha, but the track was a bit firm so he'll have a gallop at Tauranga with Scrutinize.”

Now a five-year-old, Scrutinize showed encouraging form at three and was a dual winner and runner-up in the Gr. 2 Hawke's Bay Guineas.

“He had a tendon injury and had 18 months off and he's in good condition now,” Richards said.

Scrutinize hasn't raced since he was out of the money in the Gr. 2 Waikato Guineas 22 months ago.

“We've taken it slowly with him and he trialled well at Matamata last month,” Richards said.

Meanwhile, Gr. 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner Embellish and Age Of Fire, who was runner-up in the Riccarton feature, have returned to their Matamata quarters.

“They're in good shape and both colts will run in the 1400-metre race at Ellerslie on Boxing Day with Embellish going to the Karaka Million 3YO Classic and Age Of Fire to the Levin Classic,” Richards said.