Tattersalls Gold Cup (Group 1)

OVER the course of his decorated training career which has spanned the highs of Cheltenham and Royal Ascot, Noel Meade has enjoyed countless days to savour but a victory to match, if not better any of them, took place here as Helvic Dream upstaged a quality field to give the trainer a first success at the highest level on the flat.

Meade has endured some near misses in Group 1 company in the past and has saddled placed runners in classics and other top level events. However, the stars aligned for Helvic Dream who finally bested his old foe Broome in a gripping finish where Colin Keane once again displayed his world class talents.

After going some 22 years without a pattern race success, Meade saddled a pair of Group 3 winners at the Curragh last autumn which served notice that he remained a force in quality flat races given the ammunition.

One of those Group 3 victories was supplied by Helvic Dream who dominated the International Stakes on testing going and it was that win which suggested that, given testing ground, he could be a player in a race like this.

Little closer

On his three previous runs this season the four-year-old Helvic Dream, who cost a mere €12,000 as a yearling, had been beaten by Broome but on each occasion Meade’s charge had finished a little closer to that rival. His latest second in the Mooresbridge Stakes suggested that he could contend here and that effort coupled with a masterful waiting ride from Keane carried the day.

As the runners turned for home, the race had a familiar look to others this season as Broome responded to Ryan Moore’s efforts to make his way to the front. In his slipstream though the Caroline Hendron and Finbar Cahill-owned Helvic Dream was travelling especially well although Keane was quite content to leave his challenge as late as he could.

Not found wanting

When Helvic Dream did loom up to eyeball his old rival a furlong from home, he was not found wanting. To his credit Broome did not go down without a fight and he was coming back at the line but Helvic Dream pulled off a famous success to carry the day by a short-head.

The Willie Mullins-trained True Self kept on really well for third to lie just a length off the front pair with Cayenne Pepper taking fourth.

“Colin said he was going to sit a bit closer to Broome and have one go at him. He said he went too soon to him the last day and even today he felt he went to him too soon but he just has an electrifying turn of foot to get there. It was a brilliant ride,” said Meade.

“Colin was confident enough going out but I just can’t believe it. I’m thrilled. I’ve been second in the Guineas and had horses placed in classics and Group 1s and this means a lot. There was a lot of money on the table for him last year and I said to the lads why don’t we keep him and try and win a Group 1. I was afraid to even dream that this could happen,” exclaimed the elated trainer whose most recent Group 1 place-getter was Sunshine Street who finished third in the English St Leger all the way back in 1998.

Colin Keane said: “He really relished the testing conditions and he’s improved with each run this year and gotten a little closer to Broome. The plan was to arrive late and have one crack at him. He’s an improving horse and relished the conditions. It’s brilliant for Noel and he’s a really good supporter of mine.”