Cox Plate invitee Danceteria is set to kick off his Australian campaign in the Caulfield Stakes following a pleasing track gallop at Werribee.
Danceteria clears quarantine on Saturday to run in the 2000m weight-for-age race later that afternoon ahead of the Cox Plate.
The gelding’s English-based French trainer David Menuisier was at Werribee on Tuesday to see Danceteria’s gallop.
“The thing I really like is after the first trot and first canter, his veins were sticking out which is always a good sign,” Menuisier said.
“Then we had a little stretch on the turf as well and I thought he looked quite impressive.”
Danceteria is a son of champion Australian sire Redoute’s Choice who stood two northern hemisphere seasons at the Aga Khan’s stud in France.
Menuisier has always held the stock of Redoute’s Choice in high regard and had hoped to keep Danceteria a colt, but said gelding him had turned his fortunes around as a racehorse.
“We bought a blank canvas really and it was a matter of giving him time to develop into the horse that he has become,” Menuisier said.
“The castration was essential to him. I ran him three times as a colt as a two-year-old and he never really performed to his best as he was thinking about other things.
“As he always showed a lot of potential, I decided not to geld him during the winter.
“I gave him the chance to redeem himself and he ran in a handicap at Newmarket but ran an absolute stinker.
“I was angry. He went straight to the equine hospital to get gelded and he hasn’t looked back since really.”
Menuisier is not sure what Danceteria’s best distance is.
He finished fourth behind two star international Group One performers, Enable and Hunting Horn, in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown in July before winning in Munich later that month, his most recent outing, both races over 2000m.
“He’s performing really well over 2000 metres and that’s why there’s no point in changing something that works,” Menuisier said.
“I want to make sure my horse is delivered in the best possible condition on the day but I think he will come on from the Caulfield Stakes.”
Danceteria, who is now raced by Australian Bloodstock, is one of six international horses nominated for Saturday’s race, joining Suzuka Devious, Mirage Dancer, Cape Of Good Hope, Dream Castle and Royal Meeting.
