Racing: Dancing Jess adds to consistent record

Photo / Richard Robinson

Noel Harris Stratford mare Dancing Jess enhanced her reputation in winning the $80,000 Taranaki Breeders' Stakes on Saturday but her first win remains her most remarkable.

Victory for Dancing Jess in the group three weight-for-age 1400m event for fillies and mares at the Egmont Racing Club's meeting at Hawera in Taranaki was the sixth from just 16 starts.

But the first of those wins at the horse's debut nearly four years ago still amazes Taranaki trainer Chris Bothwell - although it wasn't until a fortnight later that the toughness of the win was realised.

Bothwell said it was about two weeks after the win that veterinary surgeons at Massey University in Palmerston North found Dancing Jeff had a broken hind leg - an injury that would have been incurred well before the race.

"They said it would have been broken when she won," said Bothwell.

"They said it would have been like that for at least three weeks."

Dancing Jess spent 12 months on the sideline and ironically it was on the very same date of the following year that she returned to the same track for her second start - which she won too.

That early display of toughness by Dancing Jess came as no surprise to Bothwell who had experienced a difficult time when breaking her in.

"She was a right mongrel," Bothwell said.

"She was very, very hard to break in. It took me seven months before we even got a rider on her back."

He said there were a number of incidents along the way.

"She's been through a few fences, done all sorts of stupid things but once we got her right she's just enjoyed everything she's done. She's as tough as they come."

Some of her toughness was shown in Saturday's win. She got well back in a field of 16, had only a few runners behind her on the home turn but unleashed a big run for rider Noel Harris.

In a desperate finish, with half a length covering the first four, Dancing Jess got in the deciding stride to score by a nose as an $8.10 fourth favourite.

Making the win all the more creditable was that it was Dancing Jess' first start for four months and maintained her unbeaten record from four starts when beginning a new campaign.

Dancing Jess has not raced beyond 1600m but Bothwell is looking forward to when she does.

"I would still like to see her get up over a distance at same stage," he said.

"I think, especially this year, she'll thrive on it."

A likely next start for Dancing Jess is the group three $70,000 Cuddle Stakes (1600m) for fillies and mares in Wellington on October 23.

Second yesterday was Sharp Princess who fought strongly after being handy but wide throughout while a head back third was Eileen Dubh who raced outside the leader and was in front at the top of the straight.

Fourth, half a head away, was Matamata visitor Lady Chaparral who fought well after being caught wide in midfield while second favourite Barinka, who trailed the leader, weakened a shade over the concluding stages to finish fifth.

Favourite Tudor Bubble finished sixth after being handy but rider Darryl Bradley told stewards he was not happy with the horse's action over the concluding stages.

- NZPA