Dancers Daughter to climb new heights.

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Dancer's Daughter bids to climb new heights,


Turffontein: Laurie Jaffee Empress Club Stakes (Grade 1) 1m, turf

SOUTH AFRICA'S champion racemare Dancer's Daughter embarks on the first leg of an ambitious Turffontein Grade 1 treble when she runs in the Laurie Jaffee Empress Club Stakes on Saturday.

The British-bred has an outstanding chance on paper and the bookies make her a 1-2 shot. But what is ambitious about her run is that she has been trained throughout her career at sea level and this is her first start in 5,700ft Johannesburg.

Not many Cape Town-trained horses run up to their best on their first Johannesburg starts and as a result few trainers send them up there.

Justin Snaith, a firm believer that nothing is impossible, sent Dancer's Daughter to join Geoff Woodruff's string at The Vaal soon after her second to Pocket Power in the Met four weeks ago and he has been flying there and back to supervise her gallops.

She has been ridden in much of her work by Woodruff's stable jockey, Mark Khan, who rides her in public for the first time.

Khan said: "She has been doing well and we were very happy with the way she worked in her final gallop. She has had a lot of time to acclimatise since the Met."

But is it enough? American owner "Barry Irwin" believes it might not be and he has switched Gypsy's Warning, winner of three of her last four, from the Grade 2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas to take her on.

He said: "I think there is a big opportunity to make history as Dancer's Daughter might not be at her best because of the altitude issue."

Should be a great race, so get to the big T.

Managed to get a couple of pics for the home page, plus one of Uncle George on his birthday, all the best to all the connections of the winners on a great day at the big T.

Devastating Dancer's Daughter lands Grade 1


Report: South Africa, Saturday

Turffontein: Laurie Jaffee Empress Club Stakes (Grade 1) 1m, turf

DANCER'S DAUGHTER produced a devastating turn of foot in the Laurie Jaffee Empress Club Stakes on Saturday to make light of the widely-expressed view that the switch from sea level to Turffontein's 5,700 feet would prove her undoing.

The Somerset-bred mare started a prohibitive 1-3 for this Grade 1 but those bold enough to back her had their hearts in their mouths when she came under pressure three furlongs from home.

Mark Khan's mount was all of ten lengths off the leaders but she immediately surged into an extra gear and was in front in another 150 yards. Milk And Honey made a bold attempt to stick with her but Mike de Kock's 22-1 chancewas always fighting a losing battle.

Khan said: "I planned to ride her a bit closer but they went hard so I wasn't too worried. When I squeezed her, she went through them like a knife through butter. She's a great mare."

The win was a triumph for trainer Justin Snaith who refused to listen to suggestions that he was mad to try and tackle the top Johannesburg races.

Snaith said: "If you want to be able to say that your mare is the best there has been for quite some time, you've got to have the guts to bring her to Jo'burg. In fact she's such a great mare that it would be criminal not to."

The 55,000 gns Tattersalls purchase stays at The Vaal to be prepared for the Horse Chestnut Stakes on April 4 and the Champions Challenge three weeks later.

JACK MILNER RXP

IT has been some time since a crowd at Turffontein cheered as a favourite went down to the start. In fact, it’s been a long time since there has been a crowd at Turffontein. But despite the overcast conditions and threats of further rain, they came in droves to cheer home Cape visitor Dancer’s Daughter.

None of those people left Turffontein disappointed. They whistled and clapped as the big grey mare left the parade ring to make her way to the start and they roared even louder as she came home, beating Milk And Honey and Gypsy’s Warning to capture the Grade 1 L Jaffee Empress Club Stakes over 1600m.
Although still trainer Justin Snaith’s ``baby’’, Dancer’s Daughter has been in the care of Geoff Woodruff at the Vaal for the last few weeks. ``It’s been a pleasure to have her,’’ said Woodruff on Saturday. ``I was surprised when I saw that some bookmakers had priced her up at 1-1 to win this race.
``I am not a punter but I pleaded with anyone who would listen to take that price.’’

By the time the gates opened she was at 1-3 and even though she lost a couple of lengths at the start, there was not even an ``ooh’’ or an ``ah’’ from the crowd, such was their belief in the UK-bred import.
Mark Khan had her well back as Mochachino led from Kiss For Kate with Milk And Honey running on the inside of Dancer’s Daughter.

Once the field turned for home Khan sent her about her business. One did not have to see her hit the front 350m from home; the roar from the crowd told the story. But instead of galloping away from her field, Milk And Honey stuck to the champ like gooey syrup - and for a brief moment there was that element of doubt.

Dancer’s Daughter, though, was not to be denied and she forged ahead late to win by one length. ``She’s a great filly,’’ said Khan. ``We planned to ride her a bit closer but she settled. I wasn’t worried and when I asked her going through the 700m, she just went through them like a knife through butter.’’
Added Snaith: ``If you want to say she’s the best filly to race in the country for a long time and you’re not prepared to bring her to Johannesburg, you cannot make those claims.’’

Although still in Dubai, Mike de Kock will have been delighted with the performance of the runner-up and it augurs well for the balance of the Gauteng feature season.

Gypsy’s Warning was never really in the hunt and Piere Strydom only made one mistake in Racing Express last Thursday when he said: ``Gypsy’s Warning is a very good filly but we’ll probably run a distant second.’’ He was, in fact, a distant third, beaten five lengths.

Snaith dispelled the notion that Cape-based trainers cannot win races in Johannesburg. ``If I have the right horse, I’ll continue to bring them here,’’ said Snaith. Hopefully a few of his colleagues will follow suit.
She will next run in the Horse Chestnut Stakes on Saturday 4 April where she is sure to take on Hawaii Stakes winner and defending champion Our Giant. If all goes well, Dancer’s Daughter will contest the R2 million Champions Challenge over 2000m at Turffontein on Saturday 25 April.

Our Giant is also getting something of a cult following because he too was cheered on his way to the start and applauded for his victory in the Hawaii Stakes over 1400m. ``He’s always been a special horse to me and when I heard the cheers as he went to the start, that was also special for me,’’ said Laird.
It was a workmanlike win from the Giant’s Causeway gelding but 1400m is a little short of his best and he did win with authority.

Our Giant was sent out a 7-10 favourite and settled some four lengths off the leader in fourth as Forest Path made the pace. Marcus made his move some 300m out and once in the lead, Our Giant never looked like getting caught. The Big Ask ran on for second, beaten a length, with Earl Of Surrey touching off Succesful Bidder for third.

``You always get the feeling he’s going to stop but he always finds a bit extra. I feel he’s a better horse the older he gets,’’ said Marcus.