Talented Screen Hero mare Dance In The Wind makes her long-awaited comeback from injury in the $125,000 Kranji Stakes A race over 1400m on Friday night.
The bold frontrunner by the Japan Cup-winning sire of Japanese champion Maurice has not been sighted at Kranji since her last start when she brought up a three-in-a-row.
Kranji racegoers will remember how the free-galloping mare strung up three pillar-to-post victories, progressively from 1700m to 2000m in May-June, 2017. So impressive was her last win in a Kranji Stakes C race over 2000m that she did not escape the handicapper’s leniency – 12 points.
Trainer Hideyuki Takaoka and his new Japanese owners, the Galahad Racing Stable, were looking forward to bigger and better things from Dance In The Wind, but they were unfortunately hit by a curve ball.
“After her last win, I was looking at another staying race for her three weeks later, but she hurt her left front sesamoid,” said the Japanese handler, well known for his penchant for stayers.
“It was a ligament injury which just needed rest, at least four months, said the vet. I’ve actually given her a little more time.
“She’s still not fully fit, probably only 75% to 80% fit, but I was happy enough to run her first-up over 1400m this week.
“My track riders said she has really made a lot of progress in the last few weeks, but she will probably still need the run this Friday.”
With Dance In The Wind’s previous winning partners Derreck David (two wins) and Oscar Chavez (one win) not plying their trade at Kranji anymore, Takaoka has handed the reins to a jockey he has been using a fair bit recently, Olivier Placais.
“Olivier has been helping me a fair bit at trackwork and he’s already won two races for me this year (Istana and Sun Pittsburgh),” he said.
“He hasn’t ridden Dance In The Wind in trackwork but I’m sure he will find her a pretty straightforward mare to ride.”
Dance In The Wind has drawn off in 15, but Takaoka said it was the much stronger opposition made up of the likes of Lim’s Samurai, Best Tothelign and Twickenham that will make her task even more arduous first-up.
“She is up in grade, but she had to start somewhere,” he said.
“This race will be more about how she pulls through after the problems she had. If she comes out okay, I will probably look at a 1600m race for her next.
“I haven’t made any long-term plan for her. One race at a time.”
The four-time Singapore Gold Cup winning trainer was skirting any allusion to the premier handicap race – which is being dropped from 2200m to 2000m this year – in November, preferring to focus on Dance In The Wind’s welfare first, but the discussion did remind him of his last winner in 2012, Better Life (other three were won by El Dorado).
The champion mare by Smarty Jones was recently put for sale at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale in Sydney, reportedly in foal to Vancouver, but was passed in (reserve was set at A$150,000).
“I heard she was sold in private in the end, but I’m not sure who bought her,” said Takaoka.
“But I will soon have her second foal, an unraced colt named Excellent Life (x Excelebration) racing here. I bought him and will have him in partnership with other owners.
“So far, her children have not proven anything in racing. The first foal (Start All Over by Sebring) ran once for Gai Waterhouse and bled while the other three have not raced yet.
“But I was keen to have one of her foals racing here, and bought this one. He’s had one trial in Sydney, and should be arriving in Singapore on May 7.”
