So when you get a sprint bred horse who was brilliant over six furlongs at two and three years of age, it is hardly a surprise when he becomes a hugely popular young stallion.
Dream Ahead’s first foals lit up the auction ring in 2013, headed by a 170,000gns half-sister to the Group 1-winning miler Havana Gold (by Teofilo) and a €200,000 half-brother to the dual Grade 1 star Wigmore Hall (by High Chaparral).
Dream Ahead burst onto the scene as a juvenile when making a nine-length winning debut over six furlongs at Nottingham in July, followed by victory in the Group 1 Prix Morny at Deauville, before posting one of the most impressive two-year-old performances of recent decades.
Frankel’s runaway victory in the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes that same year was breath-taking, Celtic Swing’s 12-length demolition job in the 1994 Group 1 Racing Post Trophy was remarkable, but so too was Dream Ahead’s nine-length win in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes, a very rare margin in a sprint.
He was below par when disappointing behind Frankel in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes but shared the European champion two-year-old crown with that superstar, both rated 126, and a huge 6lb clear of the rest.
He was unplaced in the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes the following summer but then dropped back in distance and reeled off a Group 1 treble, beating Bated Breath in the Group 1 July Cup and in the Group 1 Sprint Cup, and then pipping the brilliant Goldikova in the Group 1 Prix de la Foret.
Dream Ahead is the best son of the dual Group 1-winning sprinter Diktat (by Warning) and he is the best of several winners out of the Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes heroine Land Of Dreams (by Cadeaux Genereux).
His grandam Sahara Star (by Green Desert) won the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes, which is also over five furlongs, she was third in the Group 2 Lowther Stakes, and she is the grandam of Princess Noor (by Holy Roman Emperor), a Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes winner who was runner-up in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes.
This family trait of notable speed is also found in the next generation of the family as Sahara Star’s half-brother Yalaietanee (by Sadler’s Wells) is a rare non-juvenile seven furlong pattern scorer for his sire, and their dam is the Group 1 July Cup runner-up Vaigly Star (by Star Appeal) who was a half-sister to the Group 3 Palace House Stakes winner and dual Group 1 July Cup runner-up Vaigly Great (by Great Nephew).
Dream Ahead looks sure to sire plenty of juvenile winners and high-class sprinters, and with so many of the major European sires getting milers and middle-distance horses in addition to their best sprinters, a horse who appears to be entirely about speed is an attractive prospect, especially when he represents a sire line that is a bit different.
With Sadler’s Wells (by Northern Dancer), Green Desert (by Danzig), and Young Generation (by Balidar) in the fourth generation of his chart, and Ahonoora (by Lorenzaccio) in the fifth, he offers a potentially valuable cross for the speed-oriented mares from just about every major sire line around.
DREAM AHEAD (USA)
Race record: Winner of 6 races over 6-7 furlongs at 2-3 years inc July Cup, Gr.1, Sprint Cup, Gr.1, Prix de la Foret, Gr.1, Prix Morny, Gr.1, Middle Park Stakes, Gr.1, etc. Joint European champion 2yo in 2010 (with Frankel). European champion 3yo sprinter in 2011.
Stud record: Retired to stud in 2012. In 2013, foals made 170,000gns, €200,000, 70,000gns, 65,000gns, 50,000gns, etc.
Stands at: Ballylinch Stud, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny. Contact: Nicola, David or Michael on 056 7724217
Email: nicola@ballylinchstud.ie or davidmyerscough@ballylinchstud.ie or michaelryan@ballylinchstud.ie
Website: www.ballylinchstud.com
Fee: €15,000 1st October (limited to 130 mares)