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David Greene has doubled his hand in the stable’s bid to retain a feature race title on their home track on Saturday.
The Te Rapa trainer produced Stolen Dance to win the Gr.2 Cal Isuzu Stakes a year ago and the Alamosa mare will be defending her crown while her progressive stablemate Rising Shot is also in the hunt.
“Stolen Dance is obviously the star of the stable and it’s exciting for all the team to have her back,” said Greene, who is also a member of the Waikato Racing Club’s board. “It’s great to have her out on our biggest day of the year.”Stolen Dance hasn’t raced since she was below par in the Gr.1 Makfi Challenge Stakes, but she was placed at the Te Teko trials last month.
“I’m happy with the way she has improved, she’s working fine and her coat is good,” Greene said.“She will be slightly under done, but that’s not to say she can’t get away with it. She is still on the way up, but at set weights over the mile on her home track you can’t count her out.”
Stolen Dance’s summer preparation will be focussed on a pair of Group One events, both of which she finished runner-up in last season.“It will all be about two races – the Thorndon Mile and the Herbie Dyke Stakes,” Greene said.
“I’m not 100 per cent certain yet where we go before that, possibly the Rich Hill Mile.”Rising Shot has won three races, all within the space of her last four appearances, to earn her spot in Saturday’s line-up.
“She’s rock-hard fit, her form couldn’t be any better and she’s been bouncing through her races so well,” Greene said.“You have to run in-form mares and it’s an obvious chance at black type for her.”