Keep The Faith has another talented horse on the horizon in Tasmania.  The Swettenham Stud sire’s first crop already includes LR Tasmanian Guineas winner Socks and last Saturday’s G2 placed Melbourne filly Sayahailmary.

A day after Sayahailmary was run down by Pinker Pinker in the G2 Angus Armanasco Stakes at Caulfield, Keep The Faith gelding Dalkeith Dancer broke his maiden in the Ophir Doll Room Plate at Elwick.

Dalkeith Dancer (3g Keep The Faith – Flower Garden by Scenic) hit the front half-way up the home straight and then staved off Lover Boy at the business end of the 1100 event.  “He’s gone well in better class races and we were confident dropping back in grade,” trainer Rhonda Hall said.  “We thought he could win on Launceston Cup day but he was balloted.”

Dalkeith Dancer’s career started on a sour note when he fell at Hobart in November 2009.  He was sidelined for 14 months and was thrown in at the deep end against open class three year-olds during the Hobart Cup carnival.

Premier jockey Brendon McCoull was impressed with the winner.  “He did just about everything wrong and still won so he obviously has ability,” McCoull said.  “I reckon he’s definitely looking for more ground because he was off the bit for the entire journey.”

Keep The Faith (Sunday Silence) stands for a $9,000 fee at Swettenham.  His latest winner is a half-brother to the Tasmanian winners Parterre (Bianconi) and Tregrehan (Savoire Vivre).

Owner Ian Halliday bought Dalkeith Dancer for $12,000 out of the Camoquhill Stud draft at the 2009 Tasmanian Magic Millions yearling sale.  Camoquhill owner Graham McLeod sold his Helike half-brother to Troy Blacker for $9,000 at last month’s Magic Millions.

Their dam Flower Garden was covered by Swettenham sire Kaphero last year.  She is a half-sister to Meridian Star (Dolphin Street) who won 8 races and more than $3.31 million in Hong Kong.