Dance in the Desert

Stephanie Miller-trained Bongo Dance should have punters tapping out a winning beat at Flamingo Park today.

This two-year-old son of Oracy was an impressive 3.75-length winner of his only run, over 1200m at the course.

Today he will line up with 12 others to contest the Non-Black Type Kimberley Nursery over 1400m.

In that debut Bongo Dance left no fewer than seven of these rivals spread-eagled in his wake. He skipped clear early to win as he liked and with any natural improvement the 3kg weight turnaround with all of his victims is unlikely to prove anywhere near enough.

He has a wide draw to overcome, but one still suspects will be a little too classy for the opposition he encounters here.

Corne Spies always has to be taken seriously when venturing to Flamingo, and his filly Bunch Of Thyme is selected to chase our selection home as she did a month ago. With both the weights and draw now more in her favour she can reasonably expect to get a bit closer.

Oratio and Domitian complete a strong Miller contingent. Preference would be for the former, who has done little wrong since relocating from Cape Town, and scored an easy and overdue maiden win over this trip recently.

Another strong race on the card is Race 8, a MR 83 over 1200m, and here In Full Regalia makes most appeal. He just failed in a Pinnacle Stakes over a too sharp 1000m on his local debut, and given the extra 200m, pole position draw, and the drop in class, this five-year-old Jay Peg gelding will take a power of beating.