Three-year-old Not A Dancer earned a shot at the Listed PJ Bell Stakes with an all-the-way win at Canterbury.
An all-the-way Canterbury win to three-year-old Not A Dancer on Wednesday has earned the filly a shot at a black-type race at the same track in April.
Canberra trainer Matthew Dale was delighted his plan to target Wednesday's Randwick Equine Centre Handicap (1100m) as a stepping stone to the Listed PJ Bell Stakes paid off as Not A Dancer ($3.50 fav) held the inside advantage from the outset and kicked strongly in the straight to record her fifth win from just eight starts.
Dale has pinpointed the Bell Stakes (1200m) at Canterbury on April 13 as the daughter of Not A Single Doubt's target this campaign.
"That was the plan we had for her at the start of the preparation and so far she has ticked every box," Dale said after the filly scored by 1-1/4 lengths over Hannah Jane.
"She won well at Canberra first-up and then she has won well again today. We've had a plan mapped out from the start and it's working as we hoped. The only grey area is where we go next start before going on to the PJ Bell in two starts time."
Not A Dancer's victory came in the third race on the seven-race card on a dead track but persistent rain throughout the day made life difficult for jockeys later in the program.
The meeting started a dead (5) but the constant rain resulted in downgrades during the day with the final race run on a heavy surface.
"Full marks to the riders for riding in very difficult conditions," chief steward Ray Murrihy said as he returned to the stewards' room after the final event.
"They rode very sensibly in trying conditions and we were able to get through the meeting. With the heavy rain we've had there would have been no hope of running an eighth race."
Kathy O'Hara took riding honours with a race-to-race double on Empress Milly and Watertight.
O'Hara said she wasn't sure how her mounts would perform as the rain kept falling during the day.
"It's been a while since I've ridden a double at Canterbury so it was good to get a couple of winners today," O'Hara said.
"I thought the mare (Empress Milly) was a good chance until it was raining because she was not known for getting through the wet.
"And we learned something about Watertight today because we weren't sure how he would handle the track but he really liked it."
