Danzdanzdance adds the x-factor
Endless Drama drawn perfectly, Melody Belle not
Danzdanzdance’s career so far has been a $600,000 bonus but now it is time to get serious. That is the optimistic attitude of cotrainer Chris Gibbs as the two-time group one winner returns in the $200,000 Tarzino Trophy at Hastings on Saturday.
The exceptional Ruakaka talent adds new x-factor to the first group one of the season that brings together most of those who were prominent in the Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa 12 days ago.
On that occasion Endless Drama was too forward for Te Akau Shark, who will be absent in Australia for the remainder of the spring, and with Endless Drama drawn perfectly at barrier seven he is the $2.70 opening favourite for the Tarzino.
Another reason for his tight quote is defending champion Melody Belle copping another terrible draw, this time barrier 15 of 16, which saw her drift to $5 second favouritism as her record when drawn wide is a shadow of her overall performances.
With Hastings rated a Dead5 and plenty of returning stayers who will find the 1400m either too sharp or will be in need of an outing, Endless Drama is far and away the horse to beat, being favoured not only by race fitness but the weight-for-age conditions.
But the best version of Danzdanzdance last season was something special as she showed with stunning wins in the Captain Cook Stakes and Zabeel Classic while she was second to Melody Belle in
the Bonecrusher at Ellerslie, the domestic race of the season.
As good as she has been in her career so far, trainer Gibbs is adamant the best of Danzdanzdance is yet to come. Just probably not in New Zealand.
“We kind of alway thought her fiveyear-old season might be her best,” admits Gibbs.
“She was such a slight horse at 3 and even last season but she has put some muscle on now and feels stronger.
“So the plan is to get her to Australia and try and win a group race there, hopefully a group one because that would add so much broodmare value to her.
“And of course there are so many options over there in both Victoria and New South Wales for really big money.”
So even if Danzdanzdance was able to come out and shock Endless Drama and Melody Belle on Saturday — and she has won two of her three starts at 1400m — Gibbs says she will almost certainly miss the next two legs of the Hawke’s Bay Triple Crown.
“She is nominated for them both but at this stage we will head to Australia, with Melbourne the first option and then Sydney, but we will try and go where there is a bit of rain, because she probably goes best with that sting out of the track.” Danzdanzdance actually won freshup over 1400m in a rating82 at her local Ruakaka meeting this weekend last year before finishing third in the Livamol at Hastings and Gibbs says a big run this Saturday is not beyond her.
“If she can settle and they go hard she can hit the line hard and we have put a tongue tie on her which we really think could make the difference this season.
“Last year, particularly when she took on Winx in her final race, she got too keen by getting her tongue over the bit and that might have even bothered her in the Bonecrusher at Ellerslie.
“So if the tongue tie can help her settle and she has improved physically as much as we hope, then maybe she can take that next step in Australia.”
Michael McNab, who has retained the ride on Melody Belle for Saturday after Opie Bosson was sidelined for the meeting, was trying to put a brave face on the defending champion’s draw yesterday.
“I think she has enough things going for her, like her class and the step up to 1400m, that they outweigh the wide draw,’” said McNab.
But for all her class and record, Melody Belle could even drift from her $5 second favouritism as it wouldn’t surprise to see punters come for Endless Drama and his $2.70 become $2.50 or even shorter by race time.