Thornley grabs her second Group Two win

Don’t Stop Dreaming provided junior driver Olivia Thornley with her second Group Two win when the classy two year old proved too good for seven harness racing rivals in the $60,000 Diamond Creek Farm Two Year Old Classic at Ascot Park today.

“He’s a very classy horse who has a turn of foot that’s second to none. He gave me my first Group Two win and now my second so I’m just rapt to repay the owners,” she said after the win.

Don’t Stop Dreaming winning the Diamond Creek Farm Classic

Owned by Ian Dobson and Dennis and Mark Dunford, the Bettor’s Delight colt was a $250,000.00 purchase at the 2021 NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sales. His first win was the Group Two Kindergarten Stakes at Wyndham earlier this month.

“He’s definitely sharpened up since the Kindergarten and he’s becoming a more rounded racehorse. He’s always had the class.”

In today’s two year old feature Da Vinci took up an early lead before Don’t Stop Dreaming was taken to the front. The Black Flash then took up the pacemaker role with Don’t Stop Dreaming trailing.

“We’d done a bit of work early so I was happy to have a sit.”

When the horses reached the Alabar Passing Lane Thornley began to get serious with the Bettor’s Delight colt and he let down with a great turn of foot to beat The Black Flash by a length and a quarter. The winning time for the 2200 metre mobile was 2-43.0 with the last 800 run in 56.7 and the 400 in 26.5.

“He did it pretty easy at the end with pretty sharp sectionals, so I was just happy to keep on going.”

Returning to the birdcage

Nathan Williamson, trainer driver of The Black Flash was happy with his horse’s run as well.

“He went a great race. He was just beaten by a better horse on the day. It was only his second race day start so I was thrilled with him,” Williamson said.

The first two place getters in the race are closely related, both bred by Studholme Bloodstock Limited. Don’t Stop Dreaming is out of Start Dreaming, a daughter of Simply Devine while The Black Flash is out of Simply Devine. Both colts are by Bettors Delight.

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by Bruce Stewart