Dreamspeed

Dreamspeed put in a really nice performance to win a seven-furlong maiden at Sandown last Friday on his racecourse debut. Stone last out of the stalls, and the recipient of a bump from his neighbour on exiting for good measure, William Buick found himself last and wide on exiting the back straight, which really isn’t where you want to be in a seven-furlong contest at Sandown, particularly when the early pace isn’t that fast, which it wasn’t.

Still travelling well at the top of the home straight, Buick bided his time before asking his partner for his effort. Once he did, Dreamspeed picked up nicely on the near side. Widest of all, he gradually made progress, but even so, at the two-furlong pole he still had four lengths to make up on rivals who were quickening from the front. There was a lot to like about the willing attitude that Andrew Balding’s colt displayed, he stuck his neck out, despite the fact that he didn’t have another horse for company out in the middle of the track from fully two and a half furlongs out, and he galloped on resolutely to the line, just nabbing fellow debutant Poor Prince inside the final 25 yards with the pair of them pulling almost three lengths clear of their rivals.

This was a really likeable performance from the son of Barathea. Although he was strong in the market beforehand, Balding’s juveniles invariably come on for a run, so it is reasonable to expect appreciable improvement from Dreamspeed. It is impossible to know what he achieved here, with the favourite Pytheas running disappointingly, but the manner of his victory was impressive, and the time was good for juveniles in a race in which they didn’t go that fast early on. Furthermore, the race was not run to suit horses who were held up, with the second and third racing in the first three or four throughout. A half-brother to Guineas fifth Dream Eater, Dreamspeed races like he will improve for stepping up to a mile at least, and he is an interesting juvenile for the remainder of the season.

3rd July 2009

© The Irish Field, 11th July 2009