Steven O’Dea & Matthew Hoysted were able to quinella the first Listed race of the afternoon at Doomben, with Canadian Dancer and Teranga running one-two in the Princess Stakes (1640m).
The three-year-old fillies were both well found in the market, starting second and third favourites respectively, while race favourite Mokulua worked home well into third.
2022 PRINCESS STAKES REPLAY
Both gallopers went into the race off last-start victories, so there was plenty of stable confidence in the week leading up to Saturday’s Listed event, but co-trainer Steve O’Dea said it was a big thrill to get the result for syndicators Proven Thoroughbreds.
“There’s only the two opportunities for three-year-old fillies in Queensland at the mile or less – the Mode Stakes and this race – so it’s definitely a race that we always try and target with fillies that we have a bit of an opinion of,” the co-trainer said.
“To be able to come here today and both fillies run so well, is certainly huge for the owners.”
With The Bracelet (1800m) at the Gold Coast on May 7 the natural path to take in preparation for the Queensland Oaks (2200m) on June 4, the trainer said he is likely to split the pair of fillies and save Teranga for the Group 1 final.
“It’s probably one of those things – Teranga is looking for a little bit further now,” he continued.
“It was always going to be a query having already had the run at the mile, and we all know she’s out of an Oaks winner (Tinto).
“With the wet track today it was obviously a query for Canadian Dancer, she’d never been on it before.
“She was probably always going to be that little bit sharper at the mile the winner and it was a really good result.
“It’s so important to get these horses to Stakes level. I think we’ll go to The Bracelet with her (Canadian Dancer) – 1800m at the Gold Coast I think suits – she’s probably going to be a query each step out in distance, but the other filly Teranga looks like she’s crying out for distance.”
Canadian Dancer firmed into $11 in the Queensland Oaks with online bookmakers, while Teranga is a $26 chance with betting sites.
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