Champion trainer Ciaron Maher had a strong hand in the three year-old fillies maiden over 1200m at Sandown on Wednesday and produced the first four over the line headed by Saintly Dancer, a daughter of exciting young sire St Mark’s Basilica (Fr).
A close second on debut last month at Geelong to Home Affairs gelding Shah Jahan, Saintly Dancer took benefit from that outing and put it to good use today.
Ridden again by Jabez Johnstone, Saintly Dancer jumped quickly and was able to cross and find the fence where she settled in third place behind the speed.
She took a gap on the fence after turning for home and laid it down to her stakes-placed stablemate Ghana’s Akan, who was fifth in the Group I MRC Blue Diamond Stakes earlier this year.
Saintly Dancer was tenacious to the line and beat Ghana’s Akan by half a length with a pair of Frankel fillies Platinum Pearl and Stipulation in third and fourth adding further depth to what looked a strong race.
"Credit to Saintly Dancer, she was really good from a nice economical run,” said stable representative Jack Turnbull.
"We expected her to run well, the fact she's won in this class of race, she's beaten a really good filly in Ghana's, it sets us up to have a look at some better races.
"Ghana's Akan travelled like she was going to go on with it, but when you've got a filly like Saintly (Dancer) coming off her back, who's very lightly raced and we don't know her ceiling, it could prove to be a very good form race."
A $100,000 Magic Millions purchase from Wentwood Grange for First Light Racing Pty Ltd/Ciaron Maher Bloodstock, Saintly Dancer was foaled in New Zealand and is the second winner from three foals to race from Thinkyoucandance, a winning So You Think daughter of imported US Group III winner Orchestrator (USA).
Saintly Dancer looks a talented type with plenty of upside for St Mark’s Basilica, whose first Australian runners have just turned three.
The 2021 European Horse of the Year has sired two G1 winners in Europe this year in Diamond Necklace and Thesecretadversary and is back at Coolmore Australia this spring at a fee of $38,500.
