2025 The Big Dance Day Tips & Preview

Hard to get away from NATOYA (4) here to start the day. 

John Sargent’s mare has shown metro ability in recent runs, finding the cash for third two back over the mile at Kembla Grange, before improving sharply to angle into the clear very wide at Newcastle where she kept finding to win by over 2.2 lengths.  

She’s got a stack of ability and looks ready for a touch further now, especially with the class of Jason Collett taking over in the saddle. With the chance of a few showers on Tuesday, she’d appreciate a slightly wet track now that she’s got three runs under her belt. 

• Selections: 4, 11, 9, 3  

IMPENDOR (2) is a proven first-up performer who returns to the races on the back of two decent trials.  

Matthew Dunn’s gelding has been off the scene since early June when he ran fourth at Doomben in a BM70, a race that has stacked up very well from a form perspective with third place-getter Gin A Tonic going on to win twice since. 

The five-year-old to Impending has found the money in all three races he’s contested fresh from a spell and draws to do absolutely no work in the run from the low gate.  

The 1000m trip is short of his best, but the Rawiller/Dunn combo has proven very profitable at times.  

• Selections: 2, 1, 9, 3

MONEY TEAM (5) is a very honest type who looks incredibly well placed in a fairly thin race.

By I Am Invincible, the Brad Widdup-trained five-year-old has missed the money only three times from 12 career starts, returning to the winner’s circle at Warwick Farm in late September after stalking the speed the speed and exploding with late turn of foot.

He rattled off a quick time that day and has been kept on ice for this assignment, one that looks perfect from al ow barrier witH Jason Collett getting a crack in the saddle now.

• Selections: 5, 4, 9, 1

Big step up for LIGHTNING GLORY (10) but gee he looks to have serious potential.  

The son to Hallowed Crown opened up a big 3.7 length margin when winning on debut at Newcastle, never being troubled at all down the straight where he just kept finding to finish strongly through the line. 

We’ve seen the form franked with the runner-up winning at Kembla Grange a fortnight ago and the fact Ashley Morgan sticks in the saddle is an enormous plus. 

Again, this is a tougher assignment, but the barrier offers the pair a chance to test their luck on speed or save something for the finish.  

• Selections: 10, 6, 13, 17  

TAVI TIME (3) didn’t have the best of luck at Rosehill last start in the Alan Brown Stakes, but there was a lot to like about his last dash effort over the final 200m to run fifth.  

The Tavistock six-year-old was held up for a run approaching the 300m mark and forced to shift wide, really accelerating hard when it matters in a good go for the line. 

He’s a gelding who finds it tough to win at times, but this is a nice setup for her coming in with a trial between runs. If he gets cover early from another tricky gate, he’s a great chance with experienced jockey Jay Ford knowing him inside and out.  

• Selections: 3, 1, 12, 23 

SO YOU PENCE (8) looks to be a mare with tremendous upside.

It was a horror watch for anyone who backed her in The Kosciuszko two weeks ago as jockey Ashley Morgan found some late traffic at the 200m mark, squeezed between a pair and forced to dart to the middle of the track on their way to running fifth.  

That was her first run back in just over a month, so keep in mind there’s scope for natural improvement now as she gets out over slightly further. 

Having found the money in six of the eight races she’s contested, I think she’s one that could surprise at good odds with a nice soft gate suiting this time.  

• Selections: 8, 1, 5, 10  

OSIPENKO (1) is the one to beat here, providing he doesn’t gain a start as the third emergency in The Big Dance. 

The six-year-old son to Pierro holds a bit of a class edge over some key rivals, coming through some tough Group 2 races like the Tramway and Shannon Stakes earlier in the spring, where he ran fourth and third respectively. 

He’ll carry top weight for his troubles and has the wide gate to deal with, plus a less than appealing record over the mile. But coming into this race with a trial between sharps, he should be sharp and ready to fire in a race that lacks a bit of depth.  

• Selections: 1, 5, 7, 2

ACCREDITED (5) should appreciate the wet conditions on offer to match a solid first-up record that features two wins and as many placings from five starts.

The All Too Hard six-year-old enjoyed a brief but frutiful winter campaign, winning fresh at Randwick over 1200m and then going on to contest the Winter Stakes and Challenge races, where he was runner-up on both occasions.

The low draw is working firmly in his favour and off a likable trial, he looks the one to beat following some key scratchings.

• Selections: 5, 15, 3  

WELL TIMED (6) appears to be ticking along nicely for this. 

Aside from a flat effort second-up over 1400m, the Nicconi gelding has responded well in his two most recent outings to run second, the latest seeing him hang tough in the straight after being forced to make up a stack of ground from the tail.  

He’s deep into his prep now and plenty fit, and is likely to find himself closer to the speed this time from a much better gate.  

• Selections: 6, 4, 11, 13 

Quite easy to build a case here for BUNDEENA (4) in the last.  

John Thompson’s gelding stamped his authority when he came out and won here at Randwick first-up last prep, charging to the front over the final furlong to put over a length between himself and his rivals.  

He ventured north to Queensland to wrap up his short autumn campaign, running second-last at Eagle Farm in a race that never went to plan after being held up down the straight.  

By Spirit Of Boom, his recent trial run for third was a nice easy watch and in 25 starts, he’s typically done his best racing fresh from a spell. From a soft gate, he can get back early and really make his presence felt when it counts.  

• Selections: 4, 7, 8, 14