Cranbourne trainer Greg Eurell prepared a Sandown Hillside double with a member of champion mare Sunline’s (Desert Sun – Songline, by Western Symphony) family and another daughter of Reset (Zabeel –Assertive Lass, by Zeditave).
Handy prospect Zombie Dancer (Encosta De Lago – Sun Song, by Desert Sun) is out of a three-quarter sister-in-blood to Sunline. The three-year-old filly showed she has her share of talent with a dominant three-length win in the Schweppes Handicap (1600m).
Zombie Dancer, a daughter of top Coolmore Stud stallion Encosta De Lago (Fairy King – Shoal Creek, by Star Way), fetched $220,000 at the 2011 Australian Easter Yearling Sale. Eurell purchased the filly for Ultra Thoroughbreds founder Sean Buckley in what looks to be a smart piece of buying.
Eurell won the 2011 Group 1 Cox Plate with a daughter of Reset when Pinker Pinker (Reset – Miss Marion, by Success Express) took out the weight-for-age championship but the trainer thinks Champagne Ruby (Reset – Isle Royale, by Scenic) could be a stakes performer in her own right with her easy win in the D’Urban Handicap (1600m).
Champagne Ruby’s emphatic win was her fourth from nine starts but convinced Eurell tougher races could be within her reach early in 2013.
“The owners have been terrific,” Eurell said. “They have allowed me to place her in the right races and hopefully get the right result. We’ll have a good look at what is coming up next year in the autumn and just try and find the right races and progress.
“I think she can run 2000 metres and if she can do that, then that will open up a few more options for her.”
Champagne Ruby was a $50,000 buy out of the Rubiton Bloodstock draft at the 2010 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale. Isle Royale (Scenic – Great Manners, by Rubiton) is a half-sister to the Group 2 winner Great Glen (Regal Classic – Great Manners, by Rubiton).

