By David Nagel
Pakenham trainers Peter Moody and Phillip Stokes quinelled the $130,000 BenchMark-78 JRA Handicap (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday…but both of their mares may be destined for greener pastures.
Moody’s Dance to Dubai fought back after being headed in the straight by the Stokes’ trained Aquagirl, to win by the narrowest of margins in a thrilling finish to the third race on the card.
It was a true all girls finish, with jockey Carleen Hefel getting the best out of Dance to Dubai over the last 100-metres of the race to edge out Alan Kelly in a photo-finish.
Both horses are owned by prominent racehorse syndicator Dalziel Racing, with owner/director Wylie Dalziel also a well-known Bloodstock Investor.
The balance between winning races and the bloodstock side of the business is sometimes a juggling act, and one that Dalziel and his team will need to deal with after both mares ran cracking races at the Heath on the weekend.
Do the mares stay racing on the track…or head to the breeding barn?
“We’ve actually nominated them both for the Broodmare Sales, just to keep that option open for them, just to see how they go,” Dalziel said post-race.
“But they’ve run really good races so we’ll have to go back to the drawing board and see what’s available, because the Broodmare Sales begin on 24 May.
“We’ll have a chat to the trainers (Moody and Stokes), have a chat to the owners and see which way they want to go and how far they can get into this prep.”
Dance to Dubai was having her first start after an 11-week let-up and continued her consistent fresh form, jumping from gate five and sitting outside the lead.
Hefel asked the four-year-old daughter of Pride of Dubai/Brisk for a kick at the top of the straight, and the mare delivered, before holding off the gritty challenge of Kelly and Aquagirl.
Dalziel agreed that his mare is an absolute bomb fresh, but did have concerns about having just her second try in BM-78 company.
“She really is, we were a bit worried about where she’s at with this class, but we freshened her up, we know she goes good fresh, we know she’s a good on-speed horse, she had the light weight, so everything sort of added up for her<” Dalziel said.
“It all fell into place until Phillip Stokes entered Aquagirl and I had two in the race, which is not ideal, but the best scenario was to get the quinella, they’ve fought it out, so I’m rapt for both sets of owners.
“I’ve got a share in both so it’s a great day when you go that close with first and second.”
Hefel was a little surprised when Dance to Dubai responded to her urgings over the concluding stages of the race.
“It was a really tough win from that mare, at the 100, to be honest, I thought she was gone and had run out of petrol but she was super tough and kicked back late,” Hefel said.
“I just think she was tougher (than Aquagirl); she’s got that will to win and that’s what got her there in the end.”
Saturday’s win was Dance to Dubai’s fourth win from 13 starts and took her prizemoney to a tick over $250,000.
