The dream’s back on

After a bit of harness racing ‘fade’ the picture is now a lot clearer for Southland star three year old Dreams Are Free (Captaintreacherous).

In the two runs he’s had back in this campaign, the three year old colt has not been at his best, finishing with two seconds in ratings company.

Today at Ashburton trainer Nathan Williamson put an anti-chocking device on the entire and took off his overcheck. It seemed to work a charm.

“I think so. That may be what had been troubling him. He wasn’t able to get his wind. Those changes obviously made the difference today so that was good,” Williamson said.

In today’s $50,000 Listed Garrard’s Sires’ Stakes Sophomore Classic, Williamson pushed the go button on Dreams Are Free and he easily took the lead before handing up to Jeremiah.

“I haven’t asked him to leave the gate that quick before but he did it pretty easy.”

That one- two order remained the same until the field swung for home. Dreams Are Free got a clear run up the passing lane to win easily by one and a half lengths from Jeremiah with Bettor Knuckle Up a length and a half back in third.

DREAMS ARE FREE REPLAY

“All round he was the ‘Dreamer’ of old. So it’s onwards and upwards now.”

The winning time of 1-59.2 for the 1700 metre mobile was a new race, track and New Zealand record surpassing Republican Party’s previous record of 1-59.9. The final 800 was run in 55.4.

“I know he broke a New Zealand record but he won with a fair bit in hand really.”

The win was a huge relief for the Williamson stable as well as the horse’s connections, Brendan Fahy and the Dreams Are Free Syndicate.

“You feel it because he’s Southland’s best horse and you get a little bit frustrated with how he’s been beaten in the races he’s had. I wouldn’t say we were feeling the pressure, we were just doing everything we could to try and get him back to how he was. We knew there wasn’t a lot wrong with his health, we were just trying to get the other stuff worked out. One thing about it with Brendan and the Syndicate is that they’ve left everything to me. Hopefully it can pay off for the next six weeks.”

Fahy is currently in America with John Curtin on the Harnesslink tour and the Syndicate was represented at the races today by Fahy’s son-in-law and Syndicate boss Jimmy Sinclair.

“I was the only one there. I think the others may be kicking themselves. Brendon was rapt because we’ve been scratching our heads. It was awesome for the horse to come out and do what he did,” Sinclair said.

The win was Dreams Are Free’s fifth in fourteen starts and takes his stake earnings to $87,775.

Fahy, the Syndicate and Williamson hold a slot in the upcoming $500,000 The Velocity on Show Day at Addington.

“Today was also about getting his breathing right and his confidence back.”

Since July Williamson has been taking Dreams Are Free to the Wyndham Pool every day – a forty minute trip.

“He had a wee issue when he came back from a spell that required some pool work for a wee while.”

Now that Williamson has his own pool, Dreams Are Free doesn’t have to make the float trip for his daily dip.

Meanwhile, size does count. And it was Louies Girls’ (Lord Forbes) diminutive frame that helped her get a win in the final heat of the Nevele R Fillies Series.

From the outside of the second row she got back on a hot tempo. Halfway down the straight she looked to be out of luck but a gap appeared between Reklaws Dream and Shikira and she stormed through the middle to win by a head from a fast finishing Ruby Roe who charged home down the outside.

“I thought, the fence is the shortest way home. She has been racing well but has been a little bit outclassed. But she felt like she stepped up today. I had ninety percent of the gap there and just had to be patient and make sure I didn’t hook a wheel. The gap opened up enough and she darted through really good,” Wyndham trainer driver Craig Ferguson said.

The winning time was of 2-00.0 with the last 800 metres cut out in 56.0 seconds.

It was a great day for the Southland trained horses with Bring On The Muscle winning the Hambletonian, Captains Mistress running a close second in the $30,000 Dunstan Horse Feeds Two Year Old Fillies Sires Stakes Heat and Fiery Bandito keeping his Dominion chances alive by running a slashing second to Bet N Win in the Ashburton Trotters Sprint.

Ruby Roe was also a close second in the Nevele R Heat, Always On Sale finished second to Buddha in the first race while the Southland owned Lakelsa finished third in the main mares race.

Go the mighty south!!!

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink