Oasis Dancer

Oasis Dancer did well to win a seven-furlong conditions race at Newbury on Saturday on ground that would have probably been on the easy side for him. He had probably done too much up front on his previous run in the Irish 2000 Guineas, but he managed to settle and relax much better in behind here for Jim Crowley. He showed a nice turn of foot to take it up, and although Dafeef helped him by running off a true line, that runner is still a highly talented individual and the pair of them pulled clear of some useful horses in Meezaan and Rodrigo De Torres. Crowley wasn’t overly hard on Oasis Dancer either and he won by a cosy enough neck.

Ralph Beckett’s colt is still maturing and progressing. He won the Tattersalls Million on his final start last season and he began this season really well, running out a good winner of a competitive handicap at Newmarket on his second start despite pulling hard through the early stages of the race in a race that worked out well. The manner in which he responded to the change in tactics here was particularly encouraging, he was relaxed and he settled well in behind horse, which helped him to show a fine turn of foot inside the final furlong. He can go on again from this and make his mark at Pattern level.

17th July 2010