The Sara Ryan-trained Coffs Harbour Cup winner, Attractable, was too tough at Royal Randwick taking out the second running of the $3 million The Big Dance over the mile.

2023 The Big Dance winner Attractable was too strong late beating his rivals at a price in the $3 million feature in Sydney. Photo: Steve Hart.

Twenty Country Cups winners lined-up in Sydney’s 2023 The Big Dance field on Melbourne Cup Day and it was I Am Invincible five-year-old, Attractable, who finished on top off a perfectly-timed Regan Bayliss ride.

“I came and galloped this horse on Friday morning at Wyong and she honestly had it trained to the absolute minute,” Bayliss said after the winning ride.

“It looked so well, gave me a good feel on Friday and knew he was going to be very hard to beat today.

“The race set up beautifully for him and he’s as tough as nails.”

The galloper was second-up after his close fourth only 1.16 lengths beaten as a 50/1 outsider behind Cepheus in Rosehill’s $1.5 million Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) on October 7.

Kept fresh he was too strong holding out that horse by a length in The Big Dance results with the Matthew Dunn-trained Cepheus trying hard late but running out of ground with the big 62kg top-weight to lose few admirers.

“After the Alan Brown, Regan jumped off and he turned to me and said, ‘I know this horse is five but he’s improved out of sight,’ so the sky is the limit for him. I can’t believe it. We’ve been planning this since before the Coffs Cup,” Ryan said of the winner post-race speaking to Sky Thoroughbred Central.

Strong in third was the Andrew Adkins-trained Super Helpful to complete the trifecta just ahead of the Joe Pride-trained fourth place-getter King Of The Castle.

Iknowastar led the field with another bold front-running performance while Attractable was settled in the perfect position second throughout before moving up inside the 300m to race away for the win.

Attractable was a forgotten horse in the markets again winning The Big Dance at $20 through Ladbrokes.com.au, while Cepheus was brave in defeat as the beaten $5 favourite.

“Last year was my first full season so just over a year,” Ryan said of her short training career so far.

“This horse, he gives his heart and that’s why I love him so much. I rode him yesterday and he tried to kill me so I knew he was ready for today.

“He’s just one of those horses, he thinks he’s a comedian, he had a good buck, had a good play coming off the track and that’s when I know he’s right. He thinks he is hilarious, I don’t.”

2023 The Big Dance Results & Finishing Order

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

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