British-based Frenchman David Menuisier is relishing the prospect of bringing German Group 1 winner Danceteria (Fr) (Redoute’s Choice) to Australia for the G1 Ladbrokes Cox Plate.
Australian Bloodstock’s 4-year-old took out last Sunday’s G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis in Munich to become the trainer’s first winner at the highest level, earning an invitation to Moonee Valley for the $5 million feature in the process. Danceteria will not run again in Europe this turf season as he is freshened up for his assault on Melbourne.
“It was a fantastic result in Germany, especially for the horse because we have always felt that he could reach that level, even last year. Horses like routine and we want to keep his routine as close to what he has here,” said the trainer on Saturday.
“He will have a little holiday now for two weeks and then he will come back and we will approach the Cox Plate like any other race, because that's what it is really.”
Menuisier, who has previously assisted top-class trainers Richard Mandella, Criquette Head and John Dunlop, has become one of the rising stars of the British training ranks since starting out five years ago from the famous Coombelands estate in West Sussex.
Last year he was represented by the globetrotting multiple group winner Thundering Blue (Exchange Rate), whose victories in the G3 Stockholm Cup and G2 York S. helped to earn the flamboyant grey 6-year-old a growing army of fans. While Thundering Blue has his quirks, his stable-mate is a much more straightforward individual.
Danceteria (Fr)
“Danceteria is really easy to train,” said Menuisier. “You can do whatever you like with him at the speed you like. He adapts really well and is a fantastic traveller so I am really not worried at all about that.”
He added of the gelding who has now won seven of his 16 European starts, including the G3 La Coupe in France, “Australian Bloodstock have decided to give him a prep race in Australia. They are talking about the Caulfield Stakes, which is two weeks before the Cox Plate. He will go into quarantine in Newmarket in mid-September to fly out at the end of September.”
