THE flat handicappers have been instructed by the Appeals Body to give a handicap mark to A Dream To Share, the former champion bumper horse who has been campaigned on the flat this year following a couple of disappointing efforts over hurdles.
Trained by John and Thomas Kiely, the seven-year-old caught the eye of many racing fans when twice placed fourth over seven furlongs and a mile in March. Stepped up to 15 furlongs at Leopardstown in June he easily won a qualified riders’ maiden.
In recent weeks A Dream To Share has been entered for a string of valuable staying handicaps in Ireland and Britain but the handicappers in both jurisdictions have refused to give the horse a rating. Two weeks ago connections appealed to the BHA’s Handicapping Ombudsman, David Cleary, asking him to consider whether the BHA’s handicapper has been correct in refusing to give a British flat mark to the horse, based on the information available to them.
Cleary found that the approach taken in this case, following the decision of the IHRB handicapper to decline to give the horse a mark, was consistent with the treatment afforded to any other Irish-trained and raced flat horses. He therefore denied the appeal. Now that the horse is set to be given an Irish mark, it remains to be seen if the BHA will follow suit.
Separately all horses with a flat handicap mark were given an interim drop of 2lb on average this week. The revised marks took effect from Down Royal yesterday and have been taken into account when compiling the weights for the Irish Champions Weekend premier handicaps. As per usual, the drop did not apply to two-year-olds or ‘blacktype’ horses and sprinters were dropped more than stayers.
TEAM Valor has stepped in to buy Thread Of Gold, the recent debut-winning two-year-old at the Curragh trained by Willie Mullins. The Ghaiyyath colt was bred by Ringfort Stud and raced in the colours of Jackie Mullins when winning a 14-runner maiden over seven furlongs by two lengths.
Mullins told Racing TV: “There was a lot of interest in him. Team Valor came in and did a deal very quickly. The horse did on the track what he shows me at home, a bit of speed. I love that in a horse with a pedigree which is all stamina. We will take baby steps with him but we’re asking ourselves could he be a Melbourne Cup horse down the road?”
PROGRESSIVE sprinter Marchogion (rated 97) will feature in the Tattersalls Online September Sale, with the full catalogue due to be published on Wednesday, September 10th. Wildcard entries will be accepted until 5pm on Thursday.
Godolphin buys German top lot
GODOLPHIN spent €750,000 on a Sea The Stars yearling colt on Friday, which was the top lot at the BBAG Yearling Sale at time of going to press.
Consigned by Gestut Brummerhof, the colt is out of Novemba, a filly by Gleneagles who won the German 1000 Guineas in 2021.
Fillies by Camelot fetched €340,000 and €240,000 during the session, and there was Irish involvement at a lower level when Joseph O’Brien, Amy Marnane and Ballybush Stables signed for purchases. More details will be published next week.