| Saintly Dancer had her legion of fans celebrating when she scored a dominant all the way win in Saturday’s Group One $1.5 million Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield. |
| Sent out one of the leading contenders after a dashing last start win on a wet track in the Group Two Edward Manifold Stakes at Flemington, Saintly Dancer proved she was just as effective on top of the ground with another feature win. At the post the $4.60 pop held a length and quarter margin over runner-up Icelady ($11), while the favourite Regal Ambition ($3.70) was gallant in third place, coming from well back in the field. “She was (dominant),” Maher’s Assistant Trainer Jack Turnbull said of Saintly Dancer. “She just got there, she travelled, controlled, she has a decent kick in the locker when she’s put under pressure for a smaller-sized filly.” “The Ballarat team have done a wonderful job. They’ve just got her in the right spot, nursed her through the last month. To the filly’s credit and to the team’s credit, it’s been amazing for her to win that race today.” “She’s a serious filly and there is the question mark whether or not she goes further, which looking at her physically, we’ve said it all along, you’re probably a fraction apprehensive, but she just keeps proving us wrong.” “She’s now a Group One winner, and it’s what it’s all about.” “It’s a dream,” Turnbull said when commenting on her $100,000 price tag. “It’s what it’s all about and gives everyone every chance to get into a racehorse.” “The journey that she has taken us on, and First Light, has been amazing so far.” “She’s been lightly-raced, she will get further and strengthen up further and will get better. It was nothing sort of devastating.” “He’s got a very good clock (Blake Shinn) and is a big time player and has a good affiliation with our stable and in his return to race riding and with Tim and First Light,” Turnbull said. “He nailed it on the day and it was well deserved.” Saintly Dancer was a $100,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale buy for First Light Racing and Ciaron Maher Bloodstock from the Wentwood Grange draft last year. The win was the first at the elite level for proven big race jockey Blake Shinn since his return to riding after suffering a broken leg from a fall on Melbourne Cup Day last year. “It takes a really tough horse and that’s what the Maher stable is all about,” Shinn noted. “They turn up on these big days, they’re fit, and she’s put the writing on the wall all prep, just got to thank the First Light team, I’ve had a lot of luck in these colours, they gave me this opportunity and to repay them with a Group One on a big day is very rewarding.” “She did (lead), she got into a great position, got a little bit of pressure but I think the draw ultimately won us the race because I was able to hold the fence, got a nice little breather down the side but I didn’t back off too much.” “She told me how fast she wanted to go and around the turn I was supremely confident, she kept that gallop up, all the stars aligned today so I’m absolutely thrilled.” “First Group One since I’ve been back, it certainly hasn’t been an easy road but you just keep turning up and put the work in and you get repaid with a big winner here today.” “It’s all worth it and I just want to thank everyone who’s supported me and my circle and outside too for that matter,” Shinn added. “The racing industry has been wonderful so it’s nice to come back on a big day and show what we’re made of.” Saintly Dancer is the first Group One Southern Hemisphere winner for Prix du Jockey Club winner St Mark’s Basilica (Siyouni). She is one of two winners, from three to race, for the winning So You Think mare Thinkyoucandance – who is from the international Group Three winner Orchestrator (Bernstein). Saintly Dancer’s win completed the Group One Guineas double at Caulfield following Warwoven’s brilliant win in last Saturday’s Caulfield Guineas. Winner: Saintly Dancer Breeding: St Mark’s Basilica-Thinkyoucandance (So You Think) Race: MRC Thousand Guineas G1 (1600m) Sold for: $100,000 Sale: 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale Earnings: $1,183,960 Breeder: Llanhennock Trust Vendor: Wentwood Grange Buyer: First Light Racing/Ciaron Maher Bloodstock Owners: First Light Racing Pty Ltd, Aristia Park Bloodstock Pty Ltd, Kelso & Co, Last Five Percent, AC Millar, C Cooper, GW Jones, L Smith, Nova Clause, SCB Thoroughbreds, SM Robinson, Hot Tips, Ago Vires, SG Eisenhuth, B Eisenhuth, M O’Donoghue, CA Anson & R Fairhall Trainer: Ciaron Maher (Ballarat) |
