KZN-Bred Dancewiththedevil Wins Grade 1 Sansui Summer Cup

Dancewiththedevil justified the title bestowed upon her as KZN Breeders Horse Of The Year the night before she went out to win the R2-million Grade 1 Sansui Summer Cup in scintilating fashion on Saturday.

Going off at 15/1, she shouldered a hefty 58kgs to win the race by 1.25 lengths, coming from behind to mow the field down in an exciting finish and in the process adding a fourth Grade 1 to her achievements. Ilsanpietro(BRZ) finished second with Rudra and The Apache making up third and fourth respectively for a strong KZN presence in the finishing.

The mare by Modus Vivendi out of Emperor’s Dance by Caesour is bred, owned and trained by St John Gray – which in itself is an exceptional feat. She was ridden by Gavin Lerena and Dancewiththedevil now adds R1 250 000 to her stakes bringing a total of over R3-million earned.

Emperor’s Dance is a 3-time winner herself and a half-sister to sire War Lord. She is out of the Elliodor mare, Misty Dancing. Her 2008 filly by Jam Alley – named Dance Alley – has already placed from just two starts. She has a 2009 colt by Sarge, and foaled a colt by Jam Alley on Friday night. This family includes sire Modern Beat and Smart As Paint, to name but a few.

“Wow! What a weekend we have had! A once in a lifetime experience,” said a proud and very happy Cathy Martin. “Dancewiththedevil has proved what a true Champion she is! And her win in the Summer Cup certainly underlined the fact that she deserves to be the KZN Breeders Horse of the Year. She was extremely well going into the race and lived up to all we had hoped for.”

Congratulations to St John Gray on this fantastic achievement, and to Cathy and Jonathan Martin of Hadlow Stud in Mooi River, the home of Emperor’s Dance.