Perennial bridesmaid Dazzling Miss will chase a richly deserved stakes victory in Saturday’s Gr.3 Coca Cola Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m) before heading to Monovale Farm’s broodmare paddock.
After showing her talent on the synthetic surfaces for Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray, Dazzling Miss headed south to join Riccarton horsewoman Terri Rae, who has prepared her to win a further three races, while being a consistent presence in stakes company.
She finished third in last year’s Canterbury Gold Cup, while also placing in the Gr.3 White Robe Lodge WFA (1600m), Gr.3 South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) and Listed Sothys Spring Classic (2000m).
Her career earnings got another significant boost last start when finishing second in the $350,000 Southern Alps Challenge (1600m), and while that was on a Good track, Rae would prefer a Soft surface for the mare in her swansong appearance.
“I don’t know about a really heavy track, but she definitely likes rain-affected ground,” she said. “She’s pretty honest, she loves the 2000m and ran third in this last year.
“This is probably going to be her last run before she heads to the broodmare paddock, she’s getting up in the ratings now and has done a fantastic job down here.
“She’s won six races and she’s stakes-placed four times, so she’s got a really good page and hopefully she can add to it a little bit more on Saturday.”
Rae couldn’t speak more highly of Dazzling Miss both on and off the track, something she expects will only continue as she enters her next chapter with Monovale’s Joe and Max Smithies, who bred her.
“She’s the most gorgeous-natured mare, everyone loves her,” Rae said. “She’s great to have around, she’s so easy and you know when you take her to the races, she always puts in 100 percent.
“She’s been lovely and the boys (Smithies) have been really good, they’ve let me have a free rein with her and it was good of them to send her down in the first place.
“They’ve got a really nice broodmare to add to their nice little collection.”
The Monovale silks may also appear in the Listed Daphne Bannen Memorial Great Easter Stakes (1400m), with track conditions dictating whether South Of Houston takes her place in the feature.
The daughter of Deep Field joined Rae after returning from Australia earlier this season and has shown her prowess down the chute, winning twice and placing in the Listed Pegasus Stakes (1000m), while also holding her own into fifth in the Listed Lightning Handicap (1200m) at Trentham.
“She’s doing really well, but she probably won’t run on a really heavy track as she’s quite a quick mare and I think she’s a bit too fast for those conditions,” she said.
“She’s done a good job this prep, she’s another one with a really nice page and she’s stakes placed. Hopefully, the boys leave her down here for another season, because I think she can really add to her record.”
Her stablemate Candycane is likely to take her place in the field, aiming to cap off a stellar campaign where she has progressed from Rating 65 grade up to winning in open company last start at Ashburton.
“She’s really versatile, she seems to run on anything over 1200 and 1400, and she can get a mile as well,” Rae said. “She’s very honest.
“She came down here for a group of owners, some of which had never been in a horse before. They just think it’s amazing and she’s done such a good job. “She never goes a bad race and has had a busy little prep, so she’s likely to head to the spelling paddock after Saturday.”
