Darren Dance’s stance against a flurry of international raiders has set the scene for the daughter of the unbeaten Champion Frankel to become the first Northern Hemisphere-suffixed victor of South Australia’s most prestigious fillies’ feature.
Unlike European-bred gallopers who have raided our staying events in the past, the journey of Steinem embodies Dance’s desire to keep Australian riches onshore. It was a decision he made after coming agonisingly close to G1 Melbourne Cup success with the Tony Martin-trained import Heartbreak City (Fr) (Lando {Ger}) in 2016.
“We’ve had a lot of luck since 2012 importing international horses and around 2016 I thought, if these horses are coming here and dominating our races why can’t I breed my own international horses that can potentially come down under and compete in races like the Melbourne and Caulfield Cup?” Dance told TDN AusNZ.
“So, that was the rationale behind starting this program. It was to try and breed superior staying 3-year-olds for our Classics with the view that they might come on to be good open class staying horses.”
Darren Dance (left) | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Star mating
This led Dance to acquire the well-bred Sarah Cumani-owned Thai Noon (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), with the intention of sending her to superstar Juddmonte stallion Frankel.
After safely delivering Steinem on European soil in 2017, the first-time mother would return to Frankel before being sent to Australia in foal alongside her juvenile offspring.
“As soon as the pair got off the plane and arrived at the farm we knew Steinem was the right sort of Frankel, she was the perfect type and looked like the staying sort of filly that I look for,” Dance said.
“As soon as the pair got off the plane and arrived at the farm we knew Steinem was the right sort of Frankel, she was the perfect type and looked like the staying sort of filly that I look for." - Darren Dance
After growing out into a lovely yearling, Steinem was secured by Ciaron Maher Racing for $400,000 at the 2019 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, a figure that didn’t come as a surprise to Dance and connections.
In light of their sales success, those involved decided to retain a share in the filly and a decision that has since been justified.
Steinem as a yearling
“I didn’t have a plan to stay in her at the time, but when Ciaron bought her, the four or five of us in Thai Noon decided to buy back into Steinem. She was such a lovely filly and we didn’t want to be at the races watching her waving back over the fence,” Dance said.
“I didn’t have a plan to stay in her (Steinem) at the time, but when Ciaron bought her, the four or five of us in Thai Noon decided to buy back into Steinem.” – Darren Dance
“However, she didn’t show a great deal early when arriving at Ciaron’s place, she took some time to come to hand.
“She was then down to run in the spring of last year, but got a foot abscess and I think waiting until this autumn has been the making of her.”
The lightly raced 3-year-old has since delivered on her promise, turning heads last month with success in her second career start, charging down the Sandown Hillside surface en route to a first-to-last triumph in a BM64 H. over 1600 metres.
She then drew the widest of all runners in a capacity edition of the G3 Auraria S. at Morphettville over 1800 metres and, despite being forced over extra ground she stuck on to finish 0.7l fourth, an effort that majority owner Francis Cook walked away delighted by.
“Jye (McNeil) had to make a call to either ride for luck or go around them. She did flatten out that last 50 metres, but we just thought that with the wide run it was understandable," Cook told TDN AusNZ.
In fine fettle
Cook confirmed that Steinem had come through her last-start effort in superb order, saying that co-trainer Ciaron Maher has been impressed by her work in recent days.
However, despite boasting race favouritism Cook isn’t willing to get carried away just yet.
“The team is very happy with her, but she’s gone up a lot in grade and has only had a few starts and it’s always very hard to go up to a Group 1 so early,” she said.
“She’s shown exceptional talent and Ciaron and Dave are very happy, her work during the week was great and hopefully class will put her up there with the more experienced runners in the field.”
“She’s (Steinem) shown exceptional talent and Ciaron and Dave are very happy, her work during the week was great.” - Francis Cook
Dance is firmly in Cook’s corner and said Steinem can prove competitive, despite being the least exposed runner in the race.
“I’m not a fan of barrier one with a horse that gets back, but the positive is that we don’t have to go 10-wide on the corner and pick up 12l in the straight,” he said.
“If she begins and gets a spot, she’ll run a big race but there’s a host of challengers, it’s not an easy race at all and whoever gets the run of the race will win.”
Sibling making right moves
Dance’s vision could be further realised when Steinem’s brother Serlik who was conceived in Europe and foaled in Australia, steps out in the coming months for trainer Michelle Payne.
Serlik as a yearling
The $500,000 2020 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale purchase is showing early signs that exceed what his sister displayed prior to her debut, having accounted for subsequent debut winner and G2 Percy Sykes S. runner-up Crystal Bound (Not A Single Doubt) in an 800 metre March trial.
Dance is yet to decide where his highly valuable broodmare Thai Noon will head next.
“This year where we send her depends 100 per cent on what happens on Saturday because she matches up very good with Invincible Spirit lines here and she’s a fairly easy mare to match,” he said.
“So, if she throws a Group 1 winner at her first attempt, she deserves to go to the best Australia has to offer.”