Dream Esteem

Dream Esteem was fairly weak in the market for the Class 3 two-mile handicap hurdle that concluded Kempton’s Lanzarote Hurdle card on Saturday, which is probably quite significant for a Pipe runner on her first run since March. She raced far too freely through the early part of the race, yet she settled down the side of the track, jumped well and had all her rivals on the stretch over the last two flights, looking the most likely winner (she traded at 1.41 in-running) before she came to the end of her tether close home and was overhauled by Lucaindubai.

As this was her seasonal debut, she was entitled to be keen, and she will do better if she settles better next time. She normally races quite prominently but has not expressly made the running before. That said, she is clearly not averse to being out by herself, which she was for a large portion of the race here. She has not managed to win since her hurdling debut seven runs ago, but she has been consistent and, judged on this run, she should not be far off winning again. This was not a bad little race, the winner Lucaindubai had run very promisingly the previous week at Sandown in a better contest, and both he and the eventual runner-up Zafranagar attracted support in the market. The form appears solid, especially with the front three finishing a little way ahead of J’Adhere in fourth, who himself was clear of the rest.

With the Pipe yard continuing in useful form, the trainers should be able to find a good opportunity now for Dream Esteem. She should be better with this run under her belt, with the freshness knocked out of her, and she may be worth a try up a little in trip given that she kept on well here having set a strong pace.

14th January 2012

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