Trots Centre: Rick’s filly gets chance to Flo from go to whoa

Tonight may well provide something of a crowning moment for Rick Cashman, who’s rapidly improving filly is perfectly drawn to give her trainer a chance at a career best result.

After lady luck had shunned her through the TAB Breeders Crown, Dancing With Flo gets her chance tonight in the Pryde’s EasiFeed silver pace for three-year-old fillies, drawing gate one while her lead rivals were disadvantaged.

Cashman said a good result “would be huge”, adding “we got the draw, now she gets the opportunity to produce”.

The $30,000 Group 3 would be clearly the trainer’s biggest result since he had his first starter on October 1, 2012, at Yarra Glen, when Modern Saint ran fifth and collected a cheque.

Not long before Cashman attended Gippsland Harness Training Centre to learn the fundamentals of the sport and then, when Cranbourne’s training centre opened in September 2012, he had a pathway into training.

“I had finished cricket and football and like many men and women I was looking for something to continue to drive me,” Cashman said. “I had never sat behind a horse until I was 45.”

With the support of those around him he’s since trained 168 starters for 23 wins, and tonight Dancing With Flo presents the chance to carve out a career highpoint.

Cashman bred the filly, having been given her unraced dam, Narree Rose, by Arthur Fulwood, who he paired with Rocknroll Dance. He welcomed “half a dozen new owners into the group” and they patiently waited as the filly readied for racing.

“She was lightly raced as a two-year-old, when she showed she had ability but needed to strengthen up,” he said. “She had four starts earlier this year and then when Breeders Crown and Vicbred were pushed back we had another eight weeks to bring her up. She just got bigger, stronger and quicker.”

She first won on her home track in April and again at Kilmore on May 13 before the freshen up, then returned to salute first-up on October 1.

Dancing With Flo was then given her opportunity to shine in the $24,000 DNR Logistics Argent 3YO Classic at Melton on October 23, and shine she did, running second to Maajida.

“I was certainly confident she was an above average horse, but it’s another thing to show it against the better ones,” Cashman said.

“It was not until her race against them in the Argent Classic before she confirmed that. I wasn’t surprised, but it was just confirmation that she could produce given the right opportunity.”

It meant Cashman and reinswoman Lisa Miles entered the Breeders Crown series with confidence she’d acquit herself well, and she was outstanding in her heat when flying late from the back of the field to advance to the semi-final. She then again drew poorly and on this occasion it would prove too difficult to overcome.

“Her effort at Bendigo was sensational, it was just unfortunate that she couldn’t get the draw in the semis,” Cashman said.

But her luck changed for tonight’s Silver Pace, when Dancing With Flo will start from gate one.

“There are a couple of quick horses drawn outside, so she won’t get it all her own way,” he said.

“The favourite for the Breeders Crown (Maajida) is in this race, there’s Iolanta, Rockingwithsierra has very good gate speed. We go in full of belief she’s well and given every opportunity she will be thereabouts.”

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