Horsham trainer Stephen Lenehan opened his account for 2018 at Naracoorte last Sunday when recent acquisition Circus Dancer led all the way to win a 1000-metre maiden. 
Ridden by Emily Finnegan, Circus Dancer ($3.60) went straight to the lead, setting a solid early tempo. 
The Walking Or Dancing mare slipped away to a three-length lead before the home turn and gave a strong kick entering the straight, setting up an unbridgeable lead. 
Circus Dancer did tire in the shadows of the post, but still recorded a comfortable victory by 1½ lengths. 
The win was Circus Dancer’s first in eight starts. He’s had five starts for Lenehan, having started his career with Warwick Farm trainer Matthew Smith.
Puls on a winner
After finishing down the track on Jester Halo in a rare Group 1 ride at Caulfield last Saturday, Horsham jockey Christine Puls bounced straight back at the Naracoorte Cup meeting. 
Riding Battistoni for Murray Bridge trainer Jess Giles in the Midfield Group of Companies Handicap (1000m) at benchmark 60 level, Puls secured a charmed run behind the leader, Jimassi. 
Once in the straight, Battistoni ($4 favourite) went straight past the tiring Jimassi, to score a workman like win by ¾ of a length.
It was a happy household on Sunday night, with Puls’s husband, Dean Yendall, having scored a comfortable two-length win on the Hasket Bloodstock-owned Exceed And Excel filly Kaiken at Colac.
Kaiken, trained by Yendall’s principal patron, Darren Weir, started a $2.45 favourite in breaking through at her ninth career start. 
Rose blooms
Congratulations to the Warracknabeal-based syndicate Warrack Racing, which part-owns smart filly Avanti Rose, successful in the Slade Bloodstock Handicap (1000m) at Moonee Valley last Friday night.