FORMER New South Wales galloper Da Nang Star is shaping as an astute buy for Bendigo trainer Aileen Vanderfeen following an exciting first-up win for his new stable on day two of the Swan Hill Cup Carnival on Saturday.
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The six-year-old gelding consolidated some good trial form by winning a benchmark 0-50 over 975m with Hannah Le Blanc in the saddle.
It was the well-bred son of Medaglia D'oro and Miss Marielle's first time over the short distance.
His three previous wins - from 21 starts - were at 1300m, 1400m and 1500m.
Purchased by his previous owners for close to $500,000 as a yearling, Da Nang Star had not raced in nearly 12 months.
He was originally trained by John O'Shea and then Bjorn Baker. His last eight starts before Saturday were for young Wyong trainer Sara Ryan.
He was acquired by Vanderfeen and fellow owners Stacey, Craig and Abbie Kirkpatrick in an online auction for only $3000.
They collected more than five times that amount ($14,850) in prize money on Saturday.
Reputation for finding a bargain
With a reputation for finding a bargain buy, Vanderfeen hopes she has found another one with Da Nang Star.
"When you only pay that much ($3000), you only have to win a picnic race to get that back, but he's done better than that already," she said.
"He was a pretty fair horse (in New South Wales); he was a pretty expensive yearling. He has the breeding.
"His mother (Miss Marielle) is a multiple Group winner and has produced a Group winner, although he missed out.
"Obviously I buy a lot of mine with the picnics in mind, but I think he's a bit better than that.
"He came to me with a reasonable rating and has run in higher rating races up in New South Wales.
"(Saturday) was probably one of the lowest rating races he had been in."
Vanderfeen admitted to heading to Swan Hill with a good degree of confidence following Da Nang Star's trial win at Tatura in May, save for one query.
"He'd never shown any first-up form before. But then again, he'd never really started over that distance before either," she said.
"We trailled him at Tatura over the 850 and he won that, and one of the horses he beat by about four lengths that day (Master Montaro) won at Adelaide on Saturday.
"So we were fairly confident, but you are never fully confident when you don't know them that well.
"We'll probably go to 1200 or 1300m next start; I don't think he's a miler.
"He races fairly fiercely in those longer races, but (on Saturday) he was forced to settle back in the field.
"Hannah Le Blanc rode him very nicely. She's a good thinker. She's not locked into any particular plan, she rides to suit the race."
Top season for Vanderfeen
The win contributed to one of the best seasons of her career for Vanderfeen, a hobby trainer with six horses currently in work, improving her tally to seven wins and six placings from 39 starters.
While the bulk of those wins have been on the picnic circuit, Vanderfeen is hoping the likes of Da Nang Star and her five-year-old gelding Saventino, who is being aimed at the 1400m race on Elmore Cup day this Saturday at Bendigo, can make their mark in the pros over the next few months.
