There was a notable upset in the 2022 Robert Sangster Stakes results with the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Snapdancer posting her biggest career success in the Adelaide Group 1 feature.

Snapdancer was excellent returning to winning form with an upset 2022 Robert Sangster Stakes win in Adelaide. Photo: Jenny Barnes.

The powerhouse Maher/Eustace stable ran the quinella in the Group 1 $500,000 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville over the weekend with two of their three starters finishing in the money.

It was in reverse order of the odds however with Choisir five-year-old Snapdancer ($17) getting the better of her $3.7 million earning stablemate Away Game ($7.50) in an impressive one and a half-length victory.

In third rounding out the Robert Sangster Stakes trifecta was the beaten favourite, Chris Waller’s dual Group 1 winner September Run ($5) who was nearly three lengths off the surprise winner.

Snapdancer was in good form earlier this season winning the $1 million Magic Millions Fillies & Mares race on the Gold Coast in January before a dominant victory in Randwick’s Group 3 Triscay Stakes (1200) in February.

She was a forgotten runner in the Robert Sangster Stakes field however on the back of her flop down the Flemington straight in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) in March.

Ridden by Ethan Brown, Snapdancer atoned for that run overcoming barrier 15 of 15 to salute at double-figures in the Robert Sangster.

“I couldn’t really make sense of what happened last start,” Maher told the media post-win on Saturday.

“Track bias or whether she didn’t like the straight, but we freshened her up and pretty much like what we did at the Gold Coast, and the main thing with her is the start.

“I said to Ethan, if you get the start, the rest is easy and I was very surprised how easily she got across (from the wide barrier).”

Brown, who hails from Alice Springs, was thrilled to get his first Group 1 victory aboard Snapdancer for the Maher/Eustace stable.

“To get it at such a young age, it is so surreal,” he said.

“I can’t explain the feeling (as) I’ve been in that situation before and been run down.

“Ciaron said to just make sure I was on top of her in the gates.”

Majority owner Brad Spicer confirmed plans to target more Group 1 glory with the now very valuable broodmare prospect following her success.

Potential upcoming assignments include the Group 1 $500,000 The Goodwood (1200m) back at Morphettville on May 21 and or Brisbane’s Group 1 $700,000 Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 25.

“She is a really nice horse because we can freshen her, whether it’s a three, four, five, or six-week freshen, so she’s ideal for that sort of scenario,” Spicer told ANZ Bloodstock News.

“She loves the beach, she does a bit of work down at Balnarring and the team know her. That’s pretty much where she’s lived whenever she’s in Melbourne.

“We thought she was worth between $1 million and $1.5 million before today and she can go back to the Gold Coast, carry 60 kilograms next January in a million-dollar race, so we weighed it up and thought we’d put off selling her for another year.

“With her pedigree, she’s out of a Galileo mare, so it is going to open up opportunities in both hemispheres.

“There will be major studs, and I won’t name them, who I think will be pretty keen to have her in their broodmare band and hopefully she does end up with one of those so she can go to some of the best stallions in the world.”

Snapdancer is installed as a $17 shot in all-in 2022 The Goodwood odds at Ladbrokes.com.au – available in full here – and is at a shorter quote of $9 in pre-field Tattersall’s Tiara 2022 betting available by clicking here.

2022 Robert Sangster Stakes Results & Finishing Order

Table Credit: Racing Australia.