The $1 million Magic Millions Fillies and Mares race at the Gold Coast on January 11 will be the next stop for the Shane Nichols-trained Tahitian Dancer after the daughter of Dawn Approach (IRE) came from near the tail of the field under Damien Oliver to earn a maiden stakes success in Saturday’s Nudgee Quality (1200m) at Eagle Farm.
Oliver found a seam near the rail and Tahitian Dancer charged home to defeat Multaja (Medaglia d’Oro) by a short neck with another short neck to Epic Girl (Shamus Award).
“If you ride her quiet she has got a big finish on her. She beat a good field today and this track really suited her,” Oliver said.
“This was a perfect lead up race for her before the Magic Millions.”
Tahitian Dancer as a yearling
“Looking at the form of the race they were always going to go lickety-split and she was always going to be strong late,” Nichols said.
“We flew her up the Tuesday before last and she has been staying with John and Chris Meagher so I thank them for their effort.
“There is still a bit in the tank because her grand final is in two weeks.”
Purchased by Hillside Downs for $80,000 out of the Willow Park Stud draft at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Tahitian Dancer advances her record to 5 wins and 2 thirds from 17 starts with earnings of $346,000.
She is the best of two winners from as many to race out of the stakes-winning Vital Equine mare Takanori who has a Lonhro colt in the Willow Park draft heading to the Gold Coast.
Willow Park will consign this Lonhro half-brother to Tahitian Dancer at the Magic Millions
Takanori foaled a Spirit Of Boom colt in September.
Tahitian Dancer becomes the 11th stakes-winner for the former Darley shuttler Dawn Approach (IRE).
