24 Nov 2021Dionysus showed he had a bright future in a staying role when he successfully stepped up to a middle distance at Tauranga this afternoon.
A graduate of our 2019 Karaka draft, he had been a first-up winner this preparation on the synthetic track at Cambridge before he returned there to finish a close seventh, both outings over 1550 metres.
The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-prepared son of Ocean Park settled kindly close to the pace in his 2100 metre test today for rider Vinnie Colgan before challenging three wide on straightening and was too good in the run home.
Dionysus was a $45,000 purchase by his trainers at Karaka on behalf of James’ long-time clients Ron and Fran Dixon.
He is the first foal on the unraced Tavistock mare La Quinta, who produced an Embellish filly last year, and she is from the family of the G3 Vanity Stakes winner and G1 South Australian Oaks placegetter Gold Lottey.