When Dancing Gemini walked back into fourth spot following last year’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in October few would have been bold enough to predict what he has gone on to achieve.
However, it was at that exact point trainer Roger Teal turned to owner David Fish, of Fishdance Limited, and pointed out that next year it would be his pride and joy filling the top spot that, at the time, was occupied by the now retired Charyn.
It is easy for trainers to keep the spirits of an owner up with such lines in times of defeat, however those words uttered by Teal were not just for comfort, rather words that underlined the true faith he had in the son of Camelot.
So far this campaign the Lambourn handler has been proved right every step of the way, with Dancing Gemini posting impressive wins in the Listed William Hill Doncaster Mile and last time out in the Group Two bet365 Mile at Sandown. And while he has not yet had the chance to turn Teal’s remarks into reality, he can take a giant step towards it by securing a breakthrough Group One success in the Boylesports Lockinge at Newbury on Saturday.
Teal said: “I said to David (Fish) in the winner’s enclosure at Ascot when we finished fourth and Charyn came walking in that we would be going in there next year. I knew what we had got, but everything went against him last year.
“He has been labelled as a soft ground horse, but I knew he would be better this year on better conditions as if you look at him he has a lovely stride and is very low to the ground, which suggests he is a good ground horse.
“The way he has won the last two times, you have to let him take his chance here and on form he is in he deserves to be in there. He is second favourite for it so the bookmakers respect him as well and he has done nothing wrong this season.”
Excuses and defeat go hand-in-hand in the sport of horse racing, and although some lead to raised eyebrows, in the case of Dancing Gemini every reason that Teal offered for his five reversals in 2024 were more than valid.
He added: “He didn’t run a bad race in the Derby, but he got a bad trip around and was last all the way, and what horse wins from there? Dancing Brave tried but even he couldn’t, however Dancing Gemini still ran a hell of a race.
“We do regret running him in the Eclipse. We got suckered into running him there as it was a small field, but the ground was horrendous and he didn’t stay the trip on that ground.
“In the Thoroughbred Stakes at Goodwood he beat himself as he got all excited before the race. He got himself all buzzed up and just overheated. He was very keen with Oisin (Murphy) going down to the start then he skidded into the starting stalls. It was a mess to be honest with you.
“We took him back to Ascot on really testing ground for his final run, but he ran a hell of a race. Tom (Marquand) came in and said that if he knew he was going to settle like that then he would have never had him so far back.
“That race was his first after Goodwood so he thought he would be very keen and Tom dropped him in, but he ran on strong to leave us with plenty of optimism.”
Lining up in opposition at the Berkshire track at the weekend will be last year’s Irish 2000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes hero Rosallion, and Notable Speech, winner of the 2024 2000 Guineas and Sussex Stakes. And with both of those Group One winners officially rated 122, it leaves Dancing Gemini needing to produce another career best off a current figure of 116 to extend his winning sequence.
Although Teal has plenty of respect for the star-studded opposition, he believes that it will take a big effort to lower the colours of his rapidly improving colt for the first time this campaign.
Teal added: “I’m only worrying about my horse. There is no point worrying about Rosallion or Notable Speech, but they are going to have to think about Dancing Gemini as well. I know what I’ve got and if people have got better then fair play as they are very good horses.
“If Rosallion or Notable Speech beat us then they are very good horses, but they are going to have to be. I know Rosallion has been for plenty of racecourse gallops and the drums are beating about him.
“He is a very good horse, and we are not going to shy away from that, but at the end of the day we have had two runs and you can’t beat race fitness. However, freshness can win you a race as well so we can’t just sit back on our laurels.
“Dancing Gemini has got to turn up in the same frame of mind as he did at Doncaster, and Sandown, and he is a horse not a computer. If he turns up in the right frame of mind on the day and he performs with the same ability he did at Sandown then we are going to have a proper horse race.
“Richard Hannon has spoken very highly of Rosallion and has said he is the apple of his eye. Dancing Gemini is the apple of mine so I hope I’ve got a bigger apple.”
One area that is yet to be finalised is who will pick up the ride aboard Dancing Gemini, with recent jockey movements slightly muddying the picture. But Teal is confident that whichever jockey is lucky enough to be given the nod by connections in the mile contest that they will have an enjoyable ride.
He added: “I’m not sure who is riding him as with Kieran (Shoemark), who won on him at Doncaster, losing his role at the Gosden yard he has become available again. Rossa Ryan won on him last time at Sandown, but he has ties with Ralph Beckett so things are not set in cement yet and I wouldn’t like to say who is riding him at the moment.
“There is another name who has been thrown into the hat, but I’m keeping tight lipped on that. At the end of the day it is David’s decision and he has got a choice of top jockeys to pick from. Everyone is capable of doing the job and if Dancing Gemini performs like he has been, whoever ends up riding him it will make their life easier.”
Having run Dancing Gemini over both 10 and 12 furlongs last year, Teal expects a discussion over stepping him back up in trip again will be had at some point in the season. But while you can never say never in this game, for now Teal is happy to sit back and take aim at all the top mile races.
He added: “I’m happy to stay at a mile, but the jockeys keep telling his owner he wants a mile and a quarter. He is bred to stay further, and he probably will as he is relaxing much better in his races, so it isn’t ruled out that we won’t step him up in trip again.
“I think the turn of foot he has got coming from off a nice gallop over a mile is exciting. Charyn finished second in the Lockinge last year and look what he went on to achieve over a mile at Group One level.
“I’m a firm believer that if it ain’t broke then don’t fix it so for now we will stick to what he is doing best at and that is winning over a mile.”
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