Early-spring target for Tahitian Dancer

Trainer Shane Nichols has his eyes set on an early-spring target with Tahitian Dancer after her breakthrough win at Moonee Valley.

Tahitian Dancer rode the pace before taking over while turning for home to win Saturday’s Ladbrokes Info Hub Handicap.

Ridden by Clayton Douglas, Tahitian Dancer ($6) scored a three-quarter length win from Darmasun ($18), with Sunrise Dancer ($4.80) a nose away third.

Nichols says Tahitian Dancer will have a short break before aiming at the Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield in September.

“The Thousand Guineas attracts fillies down from Sydney so the Prelude is the race I’ll aim at and work backwards from there as to how long she can have off,” Nichols said.

Nichols has always held a high opinion of the filly but said he couldn’t prepare the filly in time for the Magic Millions carnival in January or the Blue Diamond Stakes in February and was happy to take his time.

“We’ve really liked her from day one and off that we bought her half-sister for a bit of dough,” Nichols said.

“I was the underbidder (on Tahitian Dancer) and went to $75,000 while Luke Trevanion went to $80,000.

“I went and apologised to him, saying I cost him $30,000.

“We had a bit of dialogue over a few weeks and the boys that bred her kept 40 per cent, Luke kept 30 per cent and he said if I could sell 30 per cent I could have her to train.

“So happy days.”

For Douglas, who mixes riding on the flat with jumps racing, the win on Tahitian Dancer was his first city Saturday flat success.