MM graduate snaps at $1M for Spicer Thoroughbreds owners
Snapdancer gave her vast array of owners a day to remember at the Gold Coast on Magic Millions race day boosting her career stake earnings to just shy of $1 million when triumphant in the MM Snippets.
Invoking scenes of unbridled joy in the winner’s enclosure with part-owners jumping up and down while embracing one another, Snapdancer’s victory was never in doubt. Settling close to the lead until balancing up in the home straight and opening up a commanding break.
It was a day of atonement for connections, who 12 months earlier looked on in dismay as Snapdancer got out of her ground, only to charge home for third – only a half-length behind subsequent Group 1 winner Krone.
Trainer Ciaron Maher had been haunted by the defeat a year earlier and despite her not having registered a win in the ensuing period was confident Snapdancer was in peak condition for the 1300 metre sprint for fillies znd mares.
Ridden by James McDonald, Snapdancer posted an official winning margin of 1.75 lengths over Vulpine with Kiku in third place.
Registering her fourth win and her tenth top-three finish from 15 starts, the five-year-old daughter of Choisir pocketed the $587,550 winner’s cheque, bringing her total earnings to $939,800.
Spicer Thoroughbreds boss, Brad Spicer, indicated Snapdancer’s long-term goal would be to return to the Gold Coast to defend her title next year. In the interim, the Group 3 placegetter will endeavour to enhance her black type record.
THREE IN A ROW FOR ‘RUDY’ – TESTAMENT TO SPICER’S EUROPEAN YEARLING PROJECT
An exciting back half of the current racing season awaits lightly-raced northern hemisphere five-year-old Rudhyar, who stretched his winning sequence to three at Warrnambool’s meeting that was transferred to Coleraine on August 5.
Having just his fifth start, Rudhyar continued his progression through the grades by overcoming negatives to emerge an authoritative winner of a Bench Mark 70 event.
As Spicer Thoroughbreds prepares to make another foray into the European yearling market, Brad Spicer continues to be delighted with Rudhyar and Fueurmond, the first pair speculated upon in 2018. Trainer Lindsey Smith has brought them along patiently for a combined tally of six wins.
Smith is keen to stretch Rudhyar out to 2400m, but missing a race due to a distance change forced the trainer’s hand to saddle up at the tight Coleraine circuit when Warrnambool was deemed too wet.
“I didn’t think Coleraine would suit him but he needed the run and he will have another start before he is turned out for the spring,” Smith said.
“I think he’s time is early next year. He’s still immature and we’ll let him develop.”
Depending on the speed of his development, the Adelaide Cup in March or the Warrnambool Cup in May could loom large on Rudhyar’s program.
Internationally-regarded jockey Brett Prebble has forged an association with Smith and Spicer in recent months. Prebble travels to the south western district tracks to ride Smith’s horses in trials and has developed an affinity with the imported gallopers that grew up on Australian soil and acclimatised to our conditions.
“Rudhyar is a really nice horse, a progressive horse and he is going to make a really nice stayer,” Prebble said, adding the manner of the performance suggested it may be the makings of the horse.
“He will certainly be more street smart for it. He had to really earn his position on the home turn and really want it.
“He still floated all the way up the straight, never opened up at all. He’s still got a lot left under the bonnett. I haven’t felt it and you haven’t seen it. In six-months’ time he could be a horse we all know about.”
Smith is happy with the class of 2019 yearlings that are close to racing and believes it is only a matter of time before Spicer Thoroughbreds and the Smith stable enjoy feature success.
“Brad has got a good eye and he’s already had 10 Group 1 wins … hopefully the next Group 1 winner is in my yard,” Smith said.
Those wishing to learn more about the up-coming plans to purchase yearlings in Europe, contact Spicer Thoroughbreds for more details.
BEST LIES AHEAD FOR ASTUTE NZ PURCHASE SACRED PALACE
Sacred Palace, an impressive winner at Caulfield on Saturday (July 24), rounded out a meticulous plan drafted by Spicer Thoroughbreds, which purchased the three-year-old in early 2021 from New Zealand to target the winter months that form the back end of the Melbourne metropolitan season.
“We purchased him from Raffles Racing in New Zealand, who are great breeders and in fact raced Sacred Palace’s sire Sacred Falls, who was a dual winner of the Doncaster and Mile and a three-time Group 1 winner,” Brad Spicer said.
“He only had a handful of starts and showed good ability, but wasn’t switched right on in his races. He just needed the penny to drop. Trainer Lindsey Smith has done a great job working this boy out.
“It’s a real credit to that beach training set-up which has seen Sacred Palace improve all throughout his preparation. He’s been quite unlucky and could of easily won 4 races this prep, just his racing pattern has conspired against him.”
A get back, run-on type that really lends itself to needing clear running in the latter stages of a race, Sacred Palace illustrated his effectiveness when ridden that way at Caulfield by jockey Brett Prebble –content to cover ground so long as his mount could blend into the finish.
“He’s on an upward climb. He’s a really enjoyable ride, he travels strong and gives you a lovely kick when you want it,” Prebble, the beneficiary of regular rider Declan Bates’ suspension, said.
Spicer said Lindsey Smith will spell him now as he has had a long prep and get ready for his 4 year old season.
STONE MOTHERLESS LAST TO FIRST SACRED PALACE IS NO COMMONER
Sacred Palace, a private purchase out of New Zealand by Spicer Thoroughbreds, looks to have a very bright future in Australia after circling the field in the straight to win a Bench Mark 64 at Bendigo on July 1.
“He hasn’t had the best of luck in a handful of runs thus far, but he showed he has a great motor when he gets clear-running,” Brad Spicer said after the blistering performance.
“Credit where credit is due. After he failed to run out a strong 1300 last start, (trainer) Lindsey Smith freshened him and dropped back to 1100 metres. That was a masterstroke.”
Declan Bates rode him cold early before launching a barnstorming run down the outside to ecord an impressive win.
“We were quite happy for him to come back from the wide gate and unleash down the outside. He had to be good to win from where he was really. Hopefully the horse takes a bit of confidence from that,” Bates said.
A winner on debut at New Plymouth on New Zealand’s north island in October last year, the Bendigo triumph was Sacred Palace’s second in seven starts. The brown gelding is a son of two-time Doncaster Mile winner Sacred Falls.
Trainer Lindsey Smith will consider some races for three-year-olds in the metropolitan area in the run up to the end of the season on July 31 as good options for Sacred Palace.
The Bendigo victory triggered a run of success for Spicer Thoroughbreds and Smith. A winning hat-trick at Geelong the following day signaled the team havea big month ahead.