Peter Moody is weighing up the options for Ole Dancer after the unbeaten filly made it two wins from as many starts with a gritty display in the $150,000 Senet Gambling Law Expert 2YO Handicap at Caulfield. The Pakenham-based trainer, who works in partnership with Katherine Coleman, believes the Spring Carnival may come slightly too soon for the rising star but hasn’t ruled out targeting a feature race.
Saturday’s 1200-metre victory was Ole Dancer’s first start since her winning debut at Murray Bridge on March 8, and Moody was impressed by her professionalism despite her immaturity. “I think she’s a lovely filly and I think she’s got the ability to be running in Spring races but whether she has the maturity will probably be the question mark,” Moody said. “If she got to a race like the Thousand Guineas she’d probably get there on one run. She’s that type of filly, she won’t need a lot of racing due to lack of maturity. So, she’s still got a lot of growth ahead of her, but you’re only a three-year-old filly in the Spring once.”
A daughter of Vinery Stud stallion Ole Kirk, who is on track to be crowned Australia’s champion first-season sire, Ole Dancer impressed under jockey Blake Shinn. After securing a perfect trail behind leader Cannyworth, Shinn angled her clear at the 250-metre mark, where she produced a powerful finish to claim a one-length win.
Starting as the $3.90 favourite, Ole Dancer defeated Thanks Gorgeous ($6.50), with Shystar ($9) finishing close up in third. Former Blue Diamond Stakes fancy Cherish Me ($5.50) was well held, finishing sixth in her first run since February.
Shinn was glowing in his praise of the filly’s determination and raw talent. “It was instinctive from her point of view and it was very impressive, because she took the gap and was very brave in doing so and then knuckled down well,” he said. “She did it at her first run at Murray Bridge, she showed good ring craft even though she’s relatively young, and she’s got a bright future ahead of her.”
The win was significant for Shinn, who extended his lead in the Melbourne Jockeys’ Premiership to eight wins with fewer than two meetings left. Fans eager to support Ole Dancer in her next start can explore leading betting sites for the best odds.