Cup Week double for A Rocknroll Dance mare

The Phil Burrows trained A Rocknroll Dance mare Wild Excuse backed up her smart Cup Day performance with one that was even more impressive on Show Day, producing another powerful front running display that saw her become the sole horse to win on both premier days at Addington Raceway during the Cup carnival.

Displaying perfect standing start manners, the 4-year-old stepped away quickly from her 10m handicap and soon headed to her favoured front-running role. Travelling comfortably throughout the 2,600m feature, Wild Excuse looked to have the field covered and rounding the home turn easily kept Stars Tonight and NZ Cup starter Nandolo at bay to score by one and a half lengths. Watch replay.

It was the classy mare’s fifth win from just 10 starts to date and improved her earnings to $50,240.

Bred and raced by Ronnie Dawe, Wild Excuse is out of the two-win Make A Deal mare, Smooth Maker, a half-sister to the two-time NZ Cup winner  and multiple NZ Aged Male Pacer of the Year, Just An Excuse (17 wins $1,047,157 in stakes).

Her terrific form this season sees Wild Excuse as the richest mare to date in New Zealand in 2019-20, whilst her sire A Rocknroll Dance is currently third on the NZ 4YO Pacing Sires Premiership, behind only Bettor’s Delight and Art Major.