Horse Racing: Troy O'Neile's Beckford set for chance at $500,000 in Little Dance

The phrase in question is uttered rarely enough about people these days, and even less often about horses.

But that is how local trainer Troy O'Neile described Beckford, the five-year-old gelding he will run in tomorrow's Little Dance at Royal Randwick.

"He's a very simple horse to train and to race," O'Neile said.

"He's not got many quirks at all, apart from the fact that he loves his liquorice. He goes bonkers for liquorice, as long as it's Darrell Lea.

"He won't eat any of the cheap liquorice."

A win in the Armidale Cup last November, in a meet that was retroactively reclassified as a qualifier for the Little Dance, gained Beckford entry to the race.

And he was very nearly included in the Big Dance, the $2 million counterpart to the Little Dance, but O'Neile fancies their chances much more in the $500,000 race.

"He's ended up second emergency in the Big Dance," he said.

"He's drawn barrier 21 in the Big Dance and barrier 17 in the Little Dance ... which is the better barrier anyway.

"I think he's going to be very competitive in that field, I'm expecting at least a top five finish from him."

Having trained Beckford since 2020, O'Neile knows where the horse's strengths lie. And though jockey Serg Lisnyy has never ridden him before, the key to unlocking his best performance is relatively simple.

"He does what he has to do on race day," O'Neile said.

"He goes out there and just lands where he lands in the field, holds his position, and he's got a good sprint in him late. He's not a hard horse to ride."

Beckford's laidback temperament is a blessing as far as O'Neile is concerned, particularly given how much the recent rain has interrupted their preparation for the Little Dance.

Having "missed a couple of races" which were called off, which has "sort of held us back", he said.

"It hasn't been the easiest of preps, it's been a bit checkered and there's been obstacles along the way, but outside of that, his work itself has been brilliant.

"He's well within himself, he looks good, he's healthy, and he's happy."

Winning the race and the $287,000 that comes with first place would be "great" for O'Neile, his business, and Beckford's owner.

"It'll set this stable up for a long time," O'Neile said.

"And Tony [Aceti, Beckford's owner] deserves a win like that. He's put a lot of money into country racing, both here and in Queensland, and he deserves a return on what he puts in."

Three of O'Neile's horses - Eighth Immortal, Capitulate, and Mazzie - are set to run in tomorrow's meet in Tamworth.

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