Unlucky to be ruled out of his major 2014 Spring Carnival targets with a minor, poorly-timed ailment, Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock’s Darren Dance has revealed talented globetrotter Dandino is ticking along nicely in the lead-up to a racing campaign geared towards the 2015 Caulfield Cup (2400m).
Dandino is training well ahead of his Spring Carnival return. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia
Dandino has posted eight wins and a further eleven minors through his 31 start career for leading Newmarket-based trainer Marco Botti, but was left in the care of Darren Weir following his 2014 Spring Carnival disappointing with a long view towards this year’s major Cups races.
Thrilled with the progression made by the son of Dansili over the last few months, Dance told The Herald Sun a different training approach has been taken with the eight-year-old this time.
“Last year he was going super and we thought he was going to go close to winning, but he went amiss in his final gallop,” Dance said of the ill-fated 2014 Caulfield Cup campaign.
“We decided rather than send him back to England; we’d give him to Darren Weir with the idea of having another crack at the Caulfield Cup.
“He spent a few months at my farm and since then Darren Weir sent him to his Warrnambool stables and he’s been under the care of Daniel Bowman for a few months.
“He’s been doing shorter, sharper work on the beat and he’s in great shape. He’s ticked every box along the way and he’s loving it down there.”
Arguably reaching peak racing condition for the first time in 2012, Dandino finished second in each of the Listed Tapster Stakes (2414m) and Listed Fred Archer Stakes (2414m); progressing to success in the Group 3 September Stakes (2414m) before running a close second in the Group 1 Canadian International Stakes (2413m) at Woodbine in October.
Booking a trip to Australian via two close seconds in British black type races in 2013, Dandino won the American St Leger (2714m) before arriving in Victoria for a close second behind Fawkner in the Caulfield Cup and credible fifth in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m).
Dandino is currently available at 2015 Caulfield Cup odds of $41 for success with leading online bookie Ladbrokes.
