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Moody’s mare ready to shine in Bow Mistress

3 minute read

Top Victorian trainer Peter Moody openly admits Dance to Dubai is not a Group 1 quality mare but when it came to targeting a winnable race, he had no doubts about setting her for the Group 3 Kevin Sharkie Bow Mistress over 1200m to be run in Hobart on Friday.

DANCE TO DUBAI.
DANCE TO DUBAI. Picture: Racing Photos

Dance To Dubai has won her past two starts, both at Moonee Valley over 1200 metres in benchmark 84 grade, with the latest the most impressive.

Apprentice Carlene Hefel partnered the five-year-old mare in both of her recent wins and Peter Moody has given her the job as pilot in the Group 3 event for fillies and mares.

"I have kept Carlene (Hefel) on because she's done a lot of work with the mare and she has ridden her perfectly at her past two," Moody said from Melbourne.

"The mare has struck top form at the right time, and this looks a very winnable race for her, although she has drawn a tricky gate (11).

"She deserves her chance to win a Group race and this one has come along at the right time."

Of the 13 final acceptors, six are from interstate and Dance to Dubai clearly has the best recent form of the invaders.

The Tom Dabernig-trained Embeller might not have the best race form next to her name, but she was second to I'm Thunderstruck in a 1000-metre jump-out at Geelong 10 days ago and one of her part-owners Joe O'Neill has been singing her praises this past week.

Fastnet Rock four-year-old Riduna from the Gai Waterhouse-Adrian Bott stable hasn't raced since finishing last of 16 in the Gold Pendant at Rosehill in late September last year, but she has the benefit of a trial at Rosehill before being shipped to Melbourne where she finished fourth in a jump-out at Geelong won by Mr Brightside 10 days ago.

The Leon and Troy Corstens-trained For Real Life is a last-start Flemington winner in mid-December, but the Capitalist mare races best when fresh and travelled well on Wednesday.

Belsielle and In Her Stride have the lowest ratings of the interstate brigade but both have shown potential and warrant respect.

Of the local contenders Queenborough Flyer has the best credentials as she is coming off a solid win in the Lady Lynette three weeks ago in Hobart in which Jaja Chaboogie finished second.

Dunbrody Power and Emily deserve respect and Adam Trinder's pair of Miss Tuppence and Summer Fire deserve their place in the field.

Strutt Stakes

The Graham Family Funerals Strutt Stakes for three-year-old fillies boasts a disappointing five starters that highlights the lack of depth in the state's staying ranks in that age group.

The presence of Soul Choice from the Waterhouse-Bott stable has made other interstate trainers' gun shy as she could not have been more impressive in finishing second to Tasmanian Derby favourite Dunkel at her past two outings.

Soul Choice comes off a narrow second in the Launceston Guineas (2100m) and would only need to mirror that effort to win Friday's Listed event over 2100m.

Just a Needs from the Imogen Miller stable and the John Blacker-trained Cloudy Nights are the most likely to fill a minor placing with outsider Elusive Princess from the Gary White stable capable of improving based on her eye-catching third at her most recent outing in Launceston when third to Did You Decide in a strong class one over 1620m on 13 January.

 


Racing and Sports

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