No stopping Don’t Stop Dreaming

With a masterly drive from Mark Purdon, Don’t Stop Dreaming (Bettor’s Delight) took out harness racing’s Group One The Crossing Ace of Spades at Addington today (Dec. 4).

Favourite Sherlock (Vincent) from Barrier One, took up the role of pacemaker as expected with stablemate Don’t Stop Dreaming getting through from his second line draw to slot in two back on the outside.

With just over a lap to run Purdon pushed the go button on Don’t Stop Dreaming and by the time they left the bend heading out of the straight he’d hit the lead.

“I felt it was the right move to make because I could hear the three-wide line coming, and I knew he was going to be hard to beat with the run we got,” Purdon said.

Heading down the backstraight Don’t Stop Dreaming was on the job and pricked his ears as he got into his work.

He just felt a million dollars and I knew he was going to be hard to beat.”

Coming down the straight Don’t Stop Dreaming had a handy advantage. Sherlock was coming hard but his run proved to be too late and Purdon’s horse hung on to win by a neck. 

“I didn’t really know. I had respect for the horse on my back, but I just wasn’t sure,” Purdon said when summarising the tight finish. 

DON’T STOP DREAMING REPLAY

Co-trainer Hayden Cullen says Don’t Stop Dreaming is the complete package and the perfect colt to have around.

“He’s just one of the horses you like, and he can run fast. He’s a nice wee horse and easy to do anything with. He doesn’t call out too much,”

Don’t Stop Dreaming’s time of 2-19.6 was just outside the New Zealand Record of 2-19.2 held by Mister Smartee.

Mark Purdon bought Don’t Stop Dreaming at the 2021 NZB Standardbred Yearling Sales in Christchurch for $250,000 and the colt is owned by Ian Dobson and Dennis and Mark Dunford. Dennis made a last minute decision to head down from Auckland for Grand Prix Day.

“I got on an 8.00am flight. My dear son couldn’t come because he works in a supermarket, and this is his weekend so he watched it on the TV in his work office. It’s a great thrill to be in this horse with Ian and Janice (Dobson). We go back a long way, and it’s a thrill of a lifetime. I’m still overcome by the win because we all thought Sherlock had the run of the race but then you see the horse run like that, I was pinching myself. My son text me before the race saying ‘GOOD LUCK’, and I just received one after saying ‘YES,” Dennis said.

Studholme Bloodstock are offering a full brother to Don’t Stop Dreaming at February’s NZB Standardbred Yearling Sale in Christchurch.

For complete Grand Prix Day results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink