Finding another Hero

Tony Akkari has been trying to breed another horse as good as his first attempt, but it’s a tough assignment as that horse is the sensational triple crown winner Dance Hero, winner of the 2004 Golden Slipper.

Brisbane-based Akkari has since sold Dance Hero’s mother Gypsy Dancer (in foal to Redoute’s Choice), a mare that cost him only $15,000, to Coolmore Stud for a cool $1.5m, but he has retained three fillies out of the mare to continue his breeding dream.

The fillies are Arzetna, a daughter of Fuji Kiseki (JPN), and two sisters to Dance Hero (by Danzero), Aleesar and Batroun.

Batroun is the only one of those fillies to race and win, and she did so under duress after suffering an injury before she raced when trained by Bart Cummings.

Under the careful guidance of trainer Peter Morgan and his renowned rehabilitation facility, Batroun, who is named after Akkari’s home town in Lebanon, won twice from nine starts and was placed third at Caulfield.

Morgan believes Batroun, but for her unsoundness, was a filly that could easily have made it to Stakes class on her natural ability.

Akkari retired Batroun last month after Morgan felt that the filly would break down if she kept in full training. “I didn’t want something to happen to her, so I retired her to Vinery to be with her sisters,” Akkari said.

He received a boost this week when the unraced Aleesar gave birth to a cracking filly by More Than Ready (USA). The filly is pictured at Vinery with her mother.

“Peter Orton said she is the best More Than Ready born at Vinery so far this year. She’s beautiful,” Akkari said.

Arzetna is due soon to foal to Encosta De Lago. “Her colt by Flying Spur is an outstanding yearling, who will be sold at Easter next year,” Akkari said.

All three daughters of Gypsy Dancer will be mated this season to Vinery’s exciting Red Ransom son, Onemorenomore.

Footnote: Both Arzetna and Aleesar are for sale. Their profiles are on Brett Howard’s Randwick Bloodstock website.