Fran Berry: Lord of the Dance | Latest column on Thundering Blue, Danceteria and more
Fran Berry reflects on a whirlwind week in Sweden and Singapore before going through his weekend rides - including fancied Cambridgeshire runner Danceteria.
It’s been a whirlwind of a week with winners in Sweden and Singapore and I’ve still the bet365 Cambridgeshire to look forward to yet.
The common theme between winning a Group Three in Sweden on Thundering Blue and riding Danceteria in the Cambridgeshire is trainer David Menusier and what a great relationship we’ve formed these last few months.
It’s funny how things pan out. It was just a chance call from my agent to see if I could ride a few of David’s horses and now here we are, nine winners later, enjoying a fruitful and lucky partnership.
He’s a great trainer, and though his yard is small he has some quality horses, so I feel really lucky to be where we are and to be associated with a horse like Thundering Blue.
He was class at Bro Park, it was brilliant to win there and it’s opened up loads of opportunities for him now. We know he gets 1m4f and he goes to Woodbine for the Canadian International next which is really exciting.
That course is on the outside of the all-weather track, so the fact it is more galloping definitely plays to his strengths and he goes there with a good chance of landing a first Grade One.
That’s next month, so I have more immediate targets to think about first and the Cambridgeshire is a unique race with it being a cavalry charge over nine furlongs at the home of racing.
I think it’s a test that will really suit Danceteria and don’t give up on him if he misses the break. It’s a quirk of his and he always does it, the key is to make sure he doesn’t lose too much ground in those opening seconds.
Last time, in Ireland, he was 20 lengths behind coming into the straight so it was an incredible performance to finish fifth, a really fine effort under the circumstances.
I think this straight-track race will suit him much better than going around a bend like he did at the Curragh, and if I can get him into the race by half way I’m sure he’ll be coming home strongly.
He must have a good each-way chance.
I also ride Nyanga for David in the Blandford Bloodstock Maiden Fillies’ Stakes and she’ll have come on for her debut at Leicester last time.
I haven’t sat on her at home so don’t know too much about her but that experience last time will have done her good.
In division two of the same race I ride Seascape for Henry Candy and it’s her debut.
She’s by Sea The Moon so will be going over further in time and Henry’s horses always improve for a run, so it’s a watching brief with her.
Danceteria isn’t my only good ride in a Newmarket handicap on Saturday, though, as I ride Ice Lord for Chris Wall in the closing Newmarket Journal Handicap.
He’s in really good form, looks to be improving as the season goes on and he loves the Rowley Mile course having finished second here twice.
His run last time at Ascot was a good one and he should appreciate the step back up to seven furlongs on Saturday.
Friday rides
I also have a couple of rides on Friday and, while Tone The Barone might be one for handicaps after this run, History Writer looks to have a decent chance in the Silver Cambridgeshire.
He won well at Sandown over a mile in August but then didn’t seem to get home over 1m2f at the same track last time – so hopefully this nine furlongs will be ideal.
The ground is a concern, however. Good to Firm ground feels quicker at Newmarket due to the undulations and, really, he needs a bit of cut to perform to his best.
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