Vin De Dance (NZ) Scores Another Ready to Run Sale Derby Win

Superstar Ready to Run Sale graduate Gingernuts (NZ) (Iffraaj) won the Group 1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m) last year, and it was an even bigger result in 2018 as two horses sold through the two-year-old sale fought out the finish in the prestigious $1 million classic at Ellerslie on Saturday.

Vin De Dance (NZ) (Roc de Cambes) was bought by Phill Cataldo Bloodstock for $70,000, while Mongolianconqueror (NZ) (Ocean Park) was a $130,000 purchase by Te Akau principal David Ellis, who bought Gingernuts a year earlier for $42,500.

The pair’s stamina shone through in the home straight in Saturday’s Derby, powering clear of the rest of the 18-horse field and fighting a two-horse war to the finish. After a desperate battle where the lead changed with every bob of the head, Vin De Dance prevailed by a nose.

Vin De Dance is trained by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman for owners the OTI Syndicate (managed by Terry Henderson), Luigi Muollo and the Kilted Taniwha Syndicate.

“I rarely get emotional, but I’ve waited a long time to win this,” Henderson said. “I’ve come close a few times and I owe an enormous debt to this race and New Zealand-bred horses, it’s really special.

“It’s an amazing story really. I saw him in the ring (at Karaka) when he was passed in. I asked Murray to tell me what he thought of the horse and we ended up getting him, and now he’s won the Derby.

“He’ll go to Sydney next, as long as he pulls up well.”

Vin De Dance has had nine starts for two wins, four placings and $639,969 in prize-money – more than nine times his purchase price.

It was the third Derby in the last four years to have been won by a Ready to Run Sale graduate. The 2015 winner Mongolian Khan, who was also trained by Baker and Forsman, was a $220,000 purchase.

Mongolianconqueror has now earned $211,875, almost twice his purchase price.

The third placegetter Danzdanzdance (Mastercraftsman) is also a Karaka graduate, bought for just $5,000 at the Select Sale. She has now earned $130,250 in prize-money.

The first four was made up by another Ready to Run sale graduate The Mayor, who was a $52,000 purchase for Hughes Bloodstock.