Bargain Filly Wins G3 Spring Stakes- 100th SW for Choisir

Tara Madgwick - Saturday November 13

Purchased for just $33,000 from the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale by her trainer Matthew Smith, improving Choisir filly Festival Dancer ensured her future worth as a broodmare  when scoring a bold win over the colts in the $160,000 Group III Spring Stakes (1600m) at Newcastle on Saturday.

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Festival Dancer wins G3 Spring Stakes giving Dylan Gibbons his first stakes win! - image Steve Hart

It took 10 starts for Festival Dancer to break her maiden in a 1600m race at Goulburn on October 5 and since then she’s been undefeated.

The daughter of Choisir won subsequent races at Kembla and Goulburn again before fronting up to Black Type company for this assignment.

She led all the way for rising star apprentice Dylan Gibbons and kept a good gallop to the line to win by two and a half lengths notching her fourth consecutive win.
 



“She’s got better with every run and her work has got better with every run,” said Matthew Smith.

“She paraded beautifully today, that was the best I’ve seen her parade and I was confident when I saw how calm she was as she has been a bit of a high-strung filly.

“It’s a pretty good effort to lead all the way over a mile here on a day like today, it was a really good strong run.

“We’ll put her away now and get her ready for the autumn.”

Festival Dancer gets a hug from a very happy Dylan Gibbons - image Steve Hart.

With four wins and three placings from 13 starts, Festival Dancer has already won over $166,000 in prizemoney for her lucky owners who include Frank and Christine Cook of Mystery Downs in whose colours she runs.

Consigned to Inglis Classic by Toolooganvale Farm, Festival Dancer was bred by Dr D Hummelstad, who retains a share in her ownership.

She is the best of three winners from Group III placed import Festival Princess (IRE) a Barathea mare from the family of German Group I winner Ransom O’War and Australian Group II winner Star of the Seas and stakes-winner Spieth.

Festival Princess has a yearling colt by Pride of Dubai.

Now retired Choisir hits the 100 stakes-winners milestone!

Festival Dancer has the honour of becoming the 100th stakes-winner for now retired Choisir, the original Royal Ascot hero for Australia, who carved out a highly successful career for Coolmore at stud in both hemispheres.



 

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Race Result - Njc Spring Stks Gr3 1600m

Newcastle Track: Good(4) Time: 1:38.30
1
Festival Dancer
- 3f Choisir (AUS) x Festival Princess (IRE) (Barathea (IRE))
Tnr: Matthew Smith Rdr: Dylan Gibbons 54.5
2
2.5
War Eternal
- 3c Pierro (AUS) x Aleria (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: J Parr 56.5
Pierro
3
2.7
Arnaqueur
- 3c Astern (AUS) x Aloona (USA) (Smart Strike (CAN))
Tnr: Jean Dubois Rdr: Tommy Berry 56.5
4
2.8
Lease
- 3c Choisir (AUS) x Ume (NZ) (Stravinsky (USA))
Tnr: A J Cummings Rdr: N Rawiller 57
5
3.6
Holstein
- 3g Snitzel (AUS) x Affairoftheheart (NZ) (Fusaichi Pegasus (USA))
Tnr: M J Dunn Rdr: A Adkins 56.5
6
4.0
Kokoro
- 3c Real Impact (JPN) x Close To My Heart (IRE) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: J A O'Shea Rdr: J Bowman 56.5
7
4.5
Loch Eagle
- 3c Lonhro (AUS) x Song Street (IRE) (Shamardal (USA))
Tnr: K A Lees Rdr: J B Mc Donald 56.5
8
6.2
Moon Stories
- 3g Odyssey Moon (AUS) x Sea Stories (AUS) (Tale Of The Cat (USA))
Tnr: Ms T Bateup Rdr: Brock Ryan 56.5
9
8.4
Dufresne
- 3g Hinchinbrook (AUS) x Steflara (AUS) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: A J Cummings Rdr: J R Collett 56.5
10
11.8
Contributingfactor
- 3g The Factor (USA) x Contributing (AUS) (Foxwedge (AUS))
Tnr: D I Atkins Rdr: Tim Clark 56.5
11
14.3
Ironic Miss
- 3f Press Statement (AUS) x Cute And Cuddly (AUS) (Danehill Dancer (IRE))
Tnr: R E Ollerton Rdr: K Mc Evoy 54.5
12
14.8
Red Boulevard
- 3f Visionaire (USA) x Strawberry Lane (SAF) (Jallad (USA))
Tnr: Paul Messara Rdr: R Dolan 54.5
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