WOKINGHAM HANDICAP

AS the modern saying goes, ‘if something looks too good to be true, it probably is.’

An unbeaten, thrice-raced colt, owned by Godolphin, trained by John Gosden and ridden by Frankie Dettori, running in a sprint handicap? Such was Dreamfield, a winner here a few weeks ago and backed down to a scarcely believable 2/1 favourite in the Wokingham as post time loomed.

Gosden said it was a ridiculous price in a 28-runner field and he was right, of course.

Dreamfield did just about everything right and led two furlongs out before drifting left. He might still have held on but Brian Meehan’s Bacchus, responding as the favourite came alongside, found plenty and forged ahead to score by a neck. Major Jumbo and ‘Tis Marvellous came next.

More than anything else, the race showed the lengths bookmakers will go to when genuine fear sets in. It is quite uncanny how often something comes to their rescue, something fairly extraordinary in this case because Bacchus, 33/1, was having his first outing since October.

The Meehan stable sometimes goes quiet for weeks on end and this was only his eighth winner of the campaign.

Having said that, the horse had kept good company, finishing ninth in last year’s Jersey Stakes.

“It was a fine training performance,” winning jockey Jim Crowley said. “The one thing Brian said was he wouldn’t want to be in front too soon and when Dreamfield went on I rode my horse to beat him.”

For the future it may be worth noting Paul Cole’s Upstaging, another making his seasonal reappearance. He finished well back but was there passing the two pole and may well be ready for the Stewards’ Cup, in which he finished third last year.