Dances on Waves continued her march through racing’s grades with an impressive win in the G2 Villiers Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.  The Gerald Ryan trained mare came with a well timed run under apprentice Brenton Avdulla to extend her unbeaten run this preparation to three.  

The Villiers winner holds a special place in Gerald Ryan’s heart after serious health problems earlier in her career.  “She’s going terrific,” Ryan said.  “It’s been well documented about the problems that she’s had.  It’s great for the owners and it’s great for the horse.”

Dances on Waves (5m Anabaa – Ancient Lights by Canny Lad) was a $100,000 buy at the 2007 Magic Millions National yearling sale from the draft of Bellerive Stud.  She’s now earned over $230,000 and her residual value is significant.

Her dam Ancient Lights is a sister to G1 VRC Salinger Stakes winner Ancient Song.  

Bellerive sold Ancient Lights to Durham Lodge for $115,000 at the 2007 Inglis Easter Broodmare Sale.  Her Hurricane Sky 2yo is a colt named Storm Pulse.  He was a $60,000 buy for Donna Riordan at the 2010 Perth Magic Millions.

Her yearling colt by Hurricane Sky is being prepped by Durham Lodge for the 2011 Perth Magic Millions.  “He’s a really lovely colt,” Durham’s Jeremy Smith said.  “He’s in a similar mould to the colt we sold earlier this year.”

Everyone at Durham is delighted with the February draft.  “Besides the Hurricane Skys, we’ve got a half brother to Karuta Queen,” Smith continued.  “He’s by Show a Heart and is an eye catching youngster – a really classy colt.”

There’s no sire in better form over the past couple of months than Blackfriars and Durham has another 14 lots by him at the 2011 Perth Magic Millions.