racing_news/

Oasis Dancer Impressive in Tattersalls Timeform Million
03/10/09

1 (16) Oasis Dancer 66/1
2 (11) Kona Coast 50/1
3 (22) Take Ten 15/2

Chris Harper and Heather Slade suffered the disappointment of having to withdraw their Dansili filly from next week’s Tattersalls October Sale after she fractured a pedal bone but that setback was more than compensated for when her half-brother Oasis Dancer broke his maiden in impressive fashion by winning the Tattersalls Timeform Million at odds of 66/1.

Now owned solely by Heather Slade, who bought out her breeding partner for 52,000gns at last year’s October Sale, the Ralph Beckett-trained Oasis Dancer held off another son of Oasis Dream, Kona Coast, by a neck.

Representing the owner, who is on holiday in the south of France, Chris Harper, manager of Whitsbury Manor Stud, was doubly delighted as he and Mrs Slade also bred the third horse home, Take Ten.

He said: “We share the dams of both horses so this is a wonderful result.

“Oasis Dancer has great natural speed. He was never balanced when he was second at Goodwood but today was different. And he’s been given a great ride.”

He added: “You wouldn’t believe it - we have a beautiful Dansili half-sister to him at home and she broke her pedal bone two days ago so we’ve had to withdraw her from the sale. The only good thing is that I suppose we’ll keep her now. Good Enough (Oasis Dancer’s dam) is now in foal to Sakhee’s Secret.”

The far side group dominated with those on the stands’ side trailing.

Seb Sanders, the winning rider; added: “He has done well. I said to myself that I thought I was drawn in the right place.

“There was a nice pace on our side and I was always going really well. I had a lovely run up the fence. He has got there and battled - he is a horse who is probably going to be better next year. He went down like a big baby - there is a lot of improvement there.

“We were always a good bit ahead of the stands’ side group. I think they had to go a far bit to get across the stands’ rail.”

Position	Horse Trainer	Jockey Weight	Starting Price Beaten Distance
1	Oasis Dancer R M Beckett	S Sanders 9st 3lbs	66 - 1 Winner
2	Kona Coast J H M Gosden	J Fortune 9st 3lbs	50 - 1 Neck
3	Take Ten M Johnston	R L Moore 9st 3lbs	15 - 2 Head
4	Lowdown M Johnston	R Ffrench 9st 3lbs	66 - 1 4 lengths
5	Alfred Nobel A P O'Brien	J Murtagh 9st 3lbs	9 - 2 1 length
6	Magnus Thrax R Hannon	R Hughes 9st 3lbs	28 - 1 Neck
7	Society Rock J R Fanshawe	G Baker 9st 3lbs	15 - 2 1 1/2 length
8	Dynasty A P O'Brien	J A Heffernan 9st 3lbs	14 - 1 Head
9	Rasselas B W Hills	M Hills 9st 3lbs	20 - 1 1 length
10	Golden Shaheen S bin Suroor	A Munro 9st 3lbs	33 - 1 1 1/4 length
11	Markazzi Sir Michael Stoute	R Hills 9st 3lbs	3 - 1 Head
12	Gritstone R A Fahey	P Hanagan 9st 3lbs	100 - 1 Neck
13	Saboteur S bin Suroor	D O'Donohoe 9st 3lbs	28 - 1 2 lengths
14	Karaka Jack M Johnston	J Quinn 9st 3lbs	66 - 1 1 1/4 length
15	Meezaan J H M Gosden	T P O'Shea 9st 3lbs	25 - 1 2 1/2 lengths
16	Bab Al Shams S bin Suroor	N Callan 9st 3lbs	33 - 1 Head
17	Atlantis Star S bin Suroor	T E Durcan 9st 3lbs	10 - 1 Neck
18	Ice Viking J G Given	C Catlin 9st 3lbs	150 - 1 3/4 length
19	Yarra River A M Balding	William Buick 9st 3lbs	50 - 1 8 lengths
20	Barzan Tom Dascombe	K Fallon 9st 3lbs	66 - 1 4 1/2 lengths
21	Stormglass W R Muir	Martin Dwyer 9st 3lbs	100 - 1 3 3/4 lengths
22	Darshonin J Noseda	D Holland 9st 3lbs	100 - 1 17 lengths
NonRunner	Sand Skier M Johnston	J Fanning 9st 3lbs	14 - 1

KONA FAILS TO CLINCH GOLD

Trainer John Gosden and Princess Haya Of Jordan teamed up in a bid to land a second successive Tattersalls Timeform Million but the owner’s Kona Coast failed by a neck to repeat the 2008 victory of Donativum.

The Jimmy Fortune-ridden Kona Coast, a 50/1 shot, had to concede the spoils to 66/1 winner Oasis Dancer in the lucrative seven-furlong contest.

Gosden declared: “Beaten a head! I could have won it two years running but there you go. We probably weren’t helped by the fact that Seb (Sanders - winning jockey) cleverly whacked Jimmy’s stick out of his hand in the dip.

“He’s quite a nice little horse but I’d say the draw had some impact today.”

Middleham trainer Mark Johnston was left puzzled by the withdrawal of Sand Skier at the start but delighted that Take Ten (15/2) and Lowdown (50/1) were able to make the frame, clinching third and fourth, respectively.

Johnton said: “I’m disappointed to have one withdrawn at the start of a million pound race. That takes away from the pleasure a bit.

“They have run fantastically but it was very hard to watch with them running in two groups and so many in similar colours.

“I thought Take Ten was maybe going to do it. Ryan (Moore) said he should have hung on to him a bit longer and he perhaps didn’t quite stay. It was the opposite with Lowdown who is crying out for further.”