Latest News

By Ray Hickson

Trainer Bryce Heys hopes a decision to miss the autumn with smart mare Dancing Alone will give her the best chance to snare a valuable black type win this season.

Trainer Bryce Heys (Pic: Steve Hart)

The five-year-old, a winner of six of her eight starts, tackles the Ranvet Handicap (1000m) at Randwick on Saturday at what will be her first run since early November.

Heys said he was tempted by a race early in the year but when it became a race against time to have her ready he elected to turn his attention to the new racing year.

“Obviously it’s a short turnaround for horses that race in the spring,’’ he said.

“I was going to trial her but I felt everything was a bit rushed, credit to the owner that we stopped and reset.

“She’ll be better for having the run but it’s a matter of getting her through the first-up run.”

Dancing Alone, $3.20 with TAB on Thursday, started $1.22 and beat Jedibeel in a Benchmark 64 to kick off her last preparation and stepped up to win twice in Melbourne before a Group 3 placing at Flemington.

It’s been a slightly different build up to this campaign in that Dancing Alone won both her barrier trials leading into her previous prep whereas she’s not been asked to extend in her two this time around.

Heys said that’s largely due to the wet tracks but he’s adamant she’s made some considerable physical improvement and is looking forward to seeing her make use of it.

“I feel she’s a lot bigger and stronger than previously which you can understand because she’s older,’’ he said.

“I probably want to harness that strength early in the prep and get a couple of runs under the belt. She’ll need a run or two before you started using that because she can be so explosive.

“She’ll improve a little bit and she will need to because she’s starting in much higher grade than she did last time.”

The mare has the outside barrier in the eight horse field and Heys said he doesn’t want her fired up early in her first run back.

“Timing wise this is the race I really wanted to start her in,’’ he said.

“I want her to do things right. I want her ridden in a conservative manner so we can get her through the run, and hopefully she’s black type worthy.”

Enigmatic stablemate Key Largo hasn’t been seen a lot this winter due to the rain affected ground and he’ll likely earn a break after the Hyland Race Colours Handicap (1200m).

It was his first run for two months when beaten four lengths by Jedibeel in the July Sprint and while Heys understands his racing style makes him a little unreliable for punters he’ll have the right scenario to perform.

Dancing Alone's latest trial at Warwick Farm on July 15

“Prior to his last start he’d been hampered by the wet tracks,’’ he said.

“I know he’s a hard horse to follow but his run was good the other day with not a lot of luck.

“He’s going to be suited to Randwick and the 1200m, and a somewhat dry surface.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting