£300,000 Goffs UK Aintree sale-topper to debut for Elliott and Gigginstown at Navan on Saturday

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

He Can't Dance

Bar One Racing 'Guaranteed Overnight Prices' (Pro/Am) Flat Race (3.43 Navan, Saturday)

What's the story?

He Can't Dance topped the Goffs UK Aintree Sale back in April and the Jukebox Jury gelding makes his eagerly anticipated rules debut for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown in the bumper at Navan on Saturday. 

A two-and-a-half-length winner of his sole point-to-point at Monksgrange for Rob James in March, he clearly impressed when going under the hammer at Aintree just under two weeks later. 

James said of the grey after his sale: "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."

How's he bred?

The four-year-old is the third foal out of unraced Spanish Moon mare Fairy Tale, making him a brother to 2m5f Ludlow hurdles scorer Musique De Fee. Their dam is a half-sister to the outstanding two-mile chaser Master Minded, a dual winner of the Champion Chase among eight Grade 1 victories. 

He Can't Dance takes in his surroundings at AintreeCredit: Sarah Farnsworth

She is also related to Auteuil Listed-winning chaser Lucky To Be, Good Spirit, second in the Pendil Novices' Chase for Paul Nicholls, and Positive Thinking, a Listed winner over hurdles at Auteuil. 

Fairy Tale has a three-year-old full-brother to He Can't Dance and a two-year-old full-sister named Highbourne Fairy.

Who does he face?

Among He Can't Dance's rivals is fellow Gigginstown runner Whinney Hill, a son of Jack Hobbs also trained by Elliott. 

The Jeremy Mactaggart-bred gelding is out of a King's Theatre full-sister to Irish and Punchestown Gold Cup hero Bellshill and sold to Elliott for £140,000 from Bernice Stables at the Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale in March. He was a close second in his sole point at Farmaclaffley in February and was second in a Punchestown bumper last month. 

Another to note is Atom Ant, a Milan half-brother to Jeremys Flame, winner of the Grade 3 Poplar Square Chase and placed at the highest level over hurdles when second in the Tolworth Novices' Hurdle in 2020. 

The Lookout Man, second in a Thurles bumper back in March, is also well-related as a Diamond Boy half-brother to Grade 2 Aintree bumper winner Getaway Katie Mai. 

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