It was a defining day for Vinery Stud’s Champion First Season Sire Ole Kirk, as his talented three-year-old filly Ole Dancer captured the Group 1 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield, delivering her sire his first elite-level success and giving breeder and part-owner Neil Werrett a moment to savour.
A standout from the start, Ole Dancer announced her potential as a juvenile with a brilliant debut win in the Magic Millions SA 2YO Classic at Murray Bridge. She returned to Caulfield to score again as a two-year-old before running fifth in the Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes and finishing a narrow second in the Group 3 Thousand Guineas Prelude prior to her victory on Saturday.
Facing a tough task against last-start Group 1 Flight Stakes winner Apocalyptic, Ole Dancer was expertly handled by Blake Shinn, who positioned her perfectly behind the favourite. Always travelling within striking distance, the filly responded powerfully when asked, surging up alongside Apocalyptic and digging deep to prevail by 0.35 lengths, with Getta Good Feeling in third.
The victory marked the first Group 1 triumph for co-trainer Katherine Coleman in Victoria, and the fourth Group 1 win in partnership with Peter Moody, who was delighted with the filly’s performance.
“She’s a lovely filly. She just rose to the occasion and out-toughed her,” Moody said.
“Thanks to Neil Werrett — what a day for him. He owns the stallion, the mare, and now the racehorse, alongside great friends and family, Max Whitby and the Madden family.”
Jockey Blake Shinn was equally thrilled with the breakthrough.
“Full credit to the filly — it’s a big thrill to win this race today,” he said.
“Peter and Kat have their horses so fit and ready. When the pressure came on, she really lifted. It was a great effort.”
Ole Dancer carries a blue-blooded pedigree and a black-type ownership group to match. Purchased by Moody Racing for $350,000 from the North draft at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale, she was bred and part-owned by Werrett Bloodstock, who forms the ownership alongside Max Whitby and the Madden family.
She is the first stakes winner, and now Group 1 winner out of the two-time-winning Husson mare Dancers, who is a half-sister to stakes-placed Viennese Star and from the family of Group 1 winners Rediener, Snitzel and last season’s Group 3 Black Opal Stakes winner King Of Pop.
A stakes-winning two-year-old before blossoming at three to claim the Group 1 Golden Rose and Group 1 Caulfield Guineas, Ole Kirk’s progeny were always expected to strengthen with maturity. Ole Dancer has followed a similar path being a juvenile winner who now joins her sire as a Guineas champion at three.
“It’s pretty special,” said Vinery Stud’s Harry Roach. “Everyone who’s followed Ole Kirk and his stock had a strong feeling they’d really hit their stride at three. To see that proven with a spring Group 1 winner and in one of the season’s premier races is exactly what we’d hoped for. Watching it come together like this is incredibly rewarding.”
A son of Written Tycoon, Ole Kirk hails from one of Australia’s most famous racing families of unbeaten champion Black Caviar. The connection is even stronger given breeder and part-owner Neil Werrett also raced the legendary mare, making this latest Group 1 triumph a fitting continuation of a remarkable bloodline and partnership.
Ole Dancer is one of five stakes winners from the first crop of Ole Kirk, who is covering a full book of mares at Vinery Stud this season, standing at a fee of $99,000 (inc. GST).
