Mirage Dancer Possible Cups Barometer

A horse that’s racing at Grafton in northern NSW today could hold the key to this year’s Caulfield and Melbourne Cups. If that seems odd, what’s odder still is that he’s a $19 chance in the Clarence River Jockey Club’s Grafton Cup (2350m). So, what’s the connection? A few weeks ago, boom Queensland stayer Incentivise (Shamus Award) did exactly what was expected of him by putting a classy field to the sword in the Gr3 Tattersalls Cup which secured him favouritism for Melbourne’s big Spring Cups. Runner-up to him, beaten a dozen lengths, was Mirage Dancer, a Group 1-winning son of global star sire Frankel (see below). Before that, he’d finished 11-lengths behind Cox Plate favourite Zaaki (Leroidesanimaux) in Eagle Farm’s Gr2 The Q22. This afternoon, Mirage Dancer will lug top-weight of 60.5kg for trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young from a wide barrier. Should he finish in the money or close to the winner, that should more than frank the opinion that both Incentivise and Zaaki are the real deal. Alternatively, a struggling down-the-field finish margin-wise could leave more Spring questions than answers.