£300,000 Aintree sale-topper He Can't Dance out to show rivals a clean pair of heels for Elliott team

Our resident bloodstock experts profile the well-bred eyecatchers and expensive purchases set to grace the track.

HE CAN'T DANCE

Bar One Racing "Bet Builder On Self Service Betting Terminals" (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race (3.40 Fairyhouse, Sunday)

What's the story?

Another day, another Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud four-year-old sales-ring stunner making his debut under rules.

This time it’s He Can’t Dance, who is quite possibly named after someone who is not quite John Travolta. 

He Can’t Dance won a Monksgrange point-to-point for Rob James at the end of March, and less than a fortnight later topped the Goffs UK Aintree Sale to a £300,000 bid from Elliott.

He didn’t sell as a store at the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale, with bidding reading €45,000.

He Can’t Dance makes his debut for Cullentra at Fairyhouse in the bumper, with Harry Swan in the saddle. He had been due to have his first start at Navan in mid-November, but a stone bruise put paid to that plan.

How's he bred?

Our horse in focus is by Jukebox Jury and was bred by Vambeck Bloodstock out of the Spanish Moon mare Fairy Tale. 

This one’s year-older full-sister is the Georgina Nicholls-trained Musique De Fee, who won a novice handicap hurdle at Ludlow in April but was pulled up when last seen at Chepstow.

Fairy Tale was unraced but is a half-sister to the great Master Minded – no doubt an element which forced He Can’t Dance’s price at Aintree to sales-topping level.

What was said at the sales?

There was a good word about He Can’t Dance before the auction got under way on the first day of this year’s Grand National meeting at Aintree.

Elliott explained himself by saying: “He’s a nice horse, came well recommended, and the sire looks the business.”

James was understandably made up by the £300,000 sale and said: “It’s brilliant and I can’t believe it really. He’s a beautiful horse and I think he’s very, very special. I’m delighted Eddie [O’Leary] got him and that Gordon’s going to train him.”

Who does he face?

Four of the others are unraced. One with a bit of form, though possibly not quite as good a back catalogue as the market suggested, is the Willie Mullins-trained Unknown Entity.

The €55,000 Goffs Arkle sale store was beaten a neck into second on his point-to-point outing at Belharbour, when 5-4 favourite, and on his first run for Mullins started evans favourite at Punchestown in April but could manage no better than fourth. 

He didn’t get a mention in the Mullins stable tour in Monday’s Post, but he carries the same silks as those carted by the like of Appreciate It, Kilcruit and Champ Kiely, and it wouldn’t be the greatest surprise if he made it third time lucky. 

He Can't Dance's stablemate Koktail Brut, likewise owned by Gigginstown, was a non-runner at Fairyhouse on Saturday, so whether he turns out here remains to be seen, but being a point-to-point winner who cost €250,000 at the Goffs Punchestown Sale in May, he's of obvious interest if he does.

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