Dream on! Dance to make winning return to action
DANCE THE DREAM is fully expected to take top honours in the Dubai Duty Free Handicap at Newbury.
Marcus Tregoning’s filly has been off the track since May, but that should not be too much of an inconvenience in this valuable mileand-a-half encounter.
After all, the daughter of Sir Percy, whom her trainer knows rather well, already has some nice form in the book and looked especially good on her sole start of the season at Goodwood.
Dance The Dream is a powerful, rangy sort and did not appear in love with the capricious West Sussex circuit as it took her a while to get going.
Once she did find her rhythm, jockey Martin Dwyer must have been quite impressed as she stayed on for third place behind Ajman Princess, who has since won a Group One race.
Tregoning’s inmate had looked progressive during a three-year-old campaign which saw her win at Leicester and Chepstow and should be much happier running at Newbury than at Goodwood.
And with the drying ground also a sizeable boon, she could prove a great deal better than an elevated mark of 98 might suggest.
The Listed Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Cup Stakes looks challenging, to say the least, but it is interesting Sir Michael Stoute saddles recent Lingfield scorer Dream Of Dreams.
This one absolutely dotted up in a seven-furlong conditions stakes last Saturday, having previously made a rather subdued start under Stoute’s tutelage.
The former Kevin Ryan inmate is clearly in a happy place this autumn and now has that crucial momentum behind him.
It is also good to see Ryan Moore involved for the first time.
Johnny Murtagh is having a good time of things and he can make another successful British raid by saddling Sankari Royale to victory in the Harry Rosebery Stakes at Ayr.
The two-year-old daughter of Epaulette probably has a bit to find with some of the alleged big guns, but this does not look a strong renewal of the Listed race over five furlongs.
Sankari Royale was far from disgraced in the Group Three Round Tower Stakes, when fourth to US Navy Flag on her last outing in late August.
She has also shown a fondness for travelling after having occupied second spot behind Eirene in the St Hugh’s Stakes at Newbury.
That rival was subsequently beaten a neck in the Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes at Salisbury so this looks a wise bit of placement from the in-form Murtagh.
Queen Kindly was quietly fancied in the Sprint Cup at Haydock, having previously won a Listed race at Pontefract with a bit of panache.
The daughter of Frankel was overwhelmed in the Group One on Merseyside, though, so trainer Richard Fahey has decided to shuffle her back down in grade for the Scottish Fillies’ Sprint Stakes.