Written by Trent Masenhelder
Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Snapdancer’s (Choisir) recent run of good form has been rewarded, with Inglis securing her for their slot in this year’s The Everest.
The 6-year-old will get the chance to create history by becoming the first mare to win the race, after Inglis announced on Thursday that she will run for them in the $15 million sprint, which will be held at Randwick on October 15.
No female horse has won the race in the five editions to date, with Redzel (Snitzel) taking out the first two runnings, before Yes Yes Yes, Classique Legend (Not A Single Doubt) and Nature Strip (Nicconi) triumphed in the subsequent three years.
Inglis Bloodstock CEO, Sebastian Hutch, said they are thrilled to team up with Snapdancer’s connections for a tilt at The Everest.
“She is a daughter of a great Inglis graduate in Choisir and was raised on a fantastic farm in Coolmore. She is trained by Australia’s leading training partnership in Ciaron Maher and David Eustace and raced by a partnership that includes great friends of Inglis, including Brad Spicer and Brae Sokolski,” Hutch said.
“She (Snapdancer) is a daughter of a great Inglis graduate in Choisir and was raised on a fantastic farm in Coolmore.” - Sebastian Hutch
Bred by Coolmore, Snapdancer is from the Galileo (Ire) mare Snapdragon (Ire), who has had nine foals, eight have raced and six are winners.
Snapdancer herself was bought by Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (FBAA) for $60,000 at the 2017 Inglis Chairman’s Sale, before being purchased by former trainer Darren Weir and Spicer Thoroughbreds for $180,000 from the Sledmere Stud draft at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Snapdancer as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“Snapdancer is such a superstar. She joins the likes of Extra Brut and Starspangledbanner as Inglis graduates that we’ve raced at the top level,” Spicer remarked.
“The next five weeks leading into the race, it’s going to be a hell of a lot of fun and we can’t wait to enjoy the ride.”
“The next five weeks leading into the race, it’s going to be a hell of a lot of fun and we can’t wait to enjoy the ride.” - Brad Spicer
The mare boasts a record of seven wins and seven placings from 20 starts, for prizemoney totalling $2,027,620.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Snapdancer broke through at Group 1 level for the first time in May when she led all the way to take out the Robert Sangster S. at Morphettville. After being touched off by Startantes (Star Turn) in the G1 Tattersall’s Tiara at her next start, Snapdancer notched her second elite-level victory in the G1 Memsie S. at Caulfield.
Brad Spicer | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Maher and Eustace admitted they are rapt to have a runner in the race, which is widely regarded as one of the best sprints on the annual calendar.
“We’re very grateful to the Inglis team for selecting Snapdancer to be their Everest runner,” Maher said.
“For years, we’ve sat back and watched the phenomenon that is The Everest, so for Snapdancer to be our first runner, it’s a really great achievement for the team.”
Eustace added: “She’s in career-best form. To line up in a race like that with a great group of owners that have become mates… she’ll be ready to absolutely rip in the middle of October.”
David Eustace and Ciaron Maher | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Snapdancer’s ownership group is a large one and includes majority shareholder Jeff Gobbels.
He told TDN AusNZ that having a runner in The Everest is a dream come true.
“We’re very pumped,” Gobbels said.
“It’s one of those ones where you have to pinch yourself a bit. When The Everest kicked off a few years ago, I thought, ‘One day it would be amazing to have a runner in the race’, and here we are.
“It’s one of those ones where you have to pinch yourself a bit. When The Everest kicked off a few years ago, I thought, ‘One day it would be amazing to have a runner in the race’, and here we are.” - Jeff Gobbels
“It’s such a select field, you’ve got to be invited into the race, so it’s very exciting.
“It’s a fairytale horse, really. We couldn’t get a stakes win out of her early days; we were always looking for that, and we would have been happy with that, but every time she came back to work she improved, she just became a bigger and stronger horse. Now, she’s a dual Group 1 winner with a start in a $15 million race.”
Snapdancer joins Lost And Running (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) – representing TAB, Nature Strip – Chris Waller Racing, Mazu (Maurice {Jpn}) – The Star and Arrowfield, Eduardo (Host {Chi}) – Yulong Investments, and Masked Crusader (Toronado {Ire}) – Max Whitby and Neil Werrett, as confirmed starters for Australia’s richest turf race.
