€400,000 son of Mastercraftsman is record breaker

Three-year-old Dance Of Life (3c Mastercraftsman-Above Limits, by Exceed And Excel) set a record price for the Arqana Summer Sale when selling for €400,000 on Friday as a potential Melbourne Cup prospect. The Mastercraftsman colt was a late addition to the sale on the back of an impressive victory at Saint-Cloud on June 16 for the Carlos and Yann Lerner stable. He is set to join Mike Moroney in Victoria after being knocked down to Robert Nataf of Horse France. Out of the Listed performer Above Limits, the Haras de Bourgeauville-bred Dance Of Life boasts an exciting race record with some rock-solid form. He was placed on his first three starts this season including when second to the highly-regarded Craven’s Legend in a conditions race at Deauville, with the subsequent Listed winner Mont Ormel in third. “I was on the phone with Paul Moroney and the horse will be trained by his brother Michael at Ballymore Stables in Victoria,” said Nataf. “He has the ideal profile to succeed in Australia as a progressive three-year-old who combines speed and the ability to stay a mile and a half. “With a three-year-old of that calibre of course you have to think about the Melbourne Cup."