Danzdanzdance (Mastercraftsman) will don new gear and step through a new routine in Sydney on Saturday.
The dual Group One winner will race for the first time for new trainer Chris Waller in Saturday’s Gr.3 Craven Plate (2000m) at Randwick.
Waller has immediately made changes to the Mastercraftsman five-year-old mare’s gear, opting for a norton bit instead of the lugging bit used in each of Danzdanzdance’s 17 starts so far and removing her tongue tie.
Part-owner Kylie Bax said Waller had tried the gear changes in a 1200m trial at Warwick Farm earlier this month with success.
“Chris hadn’t expected her to win the trial so that was an added bonus,” Bax said.
“They are really happy with her. Chris has played around with her gear. He changed her bit from a lugging bit to a norton bit and he’d been considering earmuffs or even just using earmuffs pre-race but in the end has opted against that.
“The trial was to pull it all back to basics and what worked with her. It turned out better than we had hoped for and that will help get her confidence back. Hopefully this week we get an idea about whether the gear changes work and whether her confidence is right back.”
Danzdanzdance has proven herself adept on any footing but it’s clear she’s most potent on rain-affected tracks, conditions she is unlikely to strike on Saturday, with a Good4 posted on Thursday.
“Unfortunately the forecast rain hasn’t come,” Bax said.
Nash Rawiller will ride Danzdanzdance for the first time with Bax hoping she would settle well midfield for him.
“We don’t really know what to expect but all her owners will be over there. We love her and love being there to watch her race,” she said.
“It’s really all about what happens on Saturday and then we’ll make a call on what comes next. No doubt Chris has already thought about that and has something up his sleeve.”
Bax said the decision to transfer Danzdanzdance from Logan Racing trainers Chris Gibbs and Michelle Bradley to Waller was made with a view to enhancing her future value as a broodmare.
“Logan Racing has developed her into a New Zealand champion middle distance horse. They’ve done a phenomenal job,” Bax said.
“But we had to look at the big picture. The owners are more of a breeding syndicate, so we had to think long-term.
“She’s a dual Group One winner in New Zealand and we think the most important black-type we can get for her now is in Australia.” TAB bookmakers have Danzdanzdance as a $10 shot in a Craven market headed by Happy Clapper a $3.10 favourite ahead of Samadoubt at $3.50.
