Dance steps for Sydney

LAST season’s New Zealand Derby winner Vin De Dance capped off a tremendous day for the Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman stable, when he triumphed in a desperate threeway finish to the $50,000 Kaimai Stakes (2000m) at Matamata yesterday.

The Roc de Cambes four-yearold was having just his second start in his latest campaign, after being put aside following an unplaced run in the Cranbourne Cup (2025m) back in October.

Forced to sit three-wide in midfield for stand-in rider Matt Cameron, Vin De Dance improved approaching the home turn, before launching his claim at the 250m mark.

Rondinella, who had tracked Vin De Dance into the race, and former Hong Kong galloper Giovanni Canaletto joined issue at the same time, with the trio staging a titanic struggle that was settled in favour of Vin De Dance by a nose from Rondinella, with a head back to Giovanni Canaletto in third.

The victory made it back-toback stakes’ wins for the BakerForsman team, after Aretha had taken out the Matamata Breeders’ Stakes one race earlier.

‘‘There are probably options in Sydney that we have to consider, leading into something like the Sydney Cup [April 13],’’ said Forsman.

Regular rider Jason Waddell had to forego the mount after being injured when falling from two-year-old filly Appellant, as she pulled up following the Breeders’ Stakes.