WITH Frankel’s reputation soaring as it became apparent that he was on the verge of being crowned champion sire for the first time, it was inevitable that a horse of the calibre of Mirage Dancer would be shortlisted for repatriation to Europe for a stud career. The former Sir Michael Stoute trainee was among the best-bred horses in training and a Group 1 scorer since he’d settled into his new home in Australia.

A winner on his only start at two, Mirage Dancer was twice pattern-placed before landing a 12-furlong listed contest at Goodwood, and he was a half-length runner-up to Best Solution in the Group 2 Princess of Wales’s Stakes shortly before an easy win in the Group 3 Glorious Stakes and being shorted-headed by Young Rascal in a Newbury Group 3. He was a dual Group 2-placed stakes winner the following summer and finished third in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup on his first start ‘down under’.