McDonald Rates Tahni Dancer’s Carr Stakes Chances

Tahni Dancer was included in the 2015 Carr Stakes field that was released this morning and trainer Clinton McDonald is confident that the promising filly can record a maiden win at Stakes level in the Group 3 event at Royal Randwick this weekend.

Brenton Avdulla has been booked to ride Tahni Dancer in the 2015 Carr Stakes at Royal Randwick this weekend. Photo by: Taron Clarke

Brenton Avdulla has been booked to ride Tahni Dancer in the 2015 Carr Stakes at Royal Randwick this weekend. Photo by: Taron Clarke

Tahni Dancer started her 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival campaign with a slightly flat performance in the Group 3 Birthday Card Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 21, but she produced an improved performance to storm home late to finish fifth in the Group 3 PJ Bell Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on April 6 after being blocked for a run in the straight.

McDonald told Racing Ahead that he was thrilled with the performance of Tahni Dancer in the Bell Stakes and he is confident that the Sebring filly can record the second race win of her career if she produces a similar performance in the 2015 Carr Stakes this weekend.

“She is going great and I thought her run the other day was fantastic,” McDonald said.

“She was ridden the right way and she was really strong late.

“I suggest that she will be looking for the 1400 come this Saturday.

“We have Brenton Avdulla on and I am expecting that third-up her fitness levels are where they need to be and she will be very hard to beat.”

Tahni Dancer has been included in the entries for the 2015 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale that will be held on May 27, but McDonald said that he is keen to continue to race the three-year-old.

McDonald confirmed that Tahni Dancer would head to Scone for the Inglis Guineas (1400m) on May 16 and will then head to Queensland for a possible return to Group 1 racing in the Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) at the Gold Coast on June 20.

“We can sort of head to the Scone Carnival and there are those Inglis bonus races up there like the Inglis Guineas over 1400 metres for three-year-olds,” McDonald said.

“Then we can head to Queensland and we also have her in the Magic Millions broodmare sale up there, so she will probably go through there and she will also be nominated for the Tatts Tiara and all those races.

“We will make a decision at the backend of this preparation as to which way we go with her.”

Slightly Sweet, Nayeli, Peeping, Pittsburgh Flyer, Press Report, Supara, Matilija, Anyaas, Nancy, Sebrina and Swift Lady have also been included in the 2015 Carr Stakes field.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.