Race & Stay At Punchestown Champion I.N.H Flat Race (Grade 1)

A dream season for John Kiely, the Gleeson family and A Dream To Share (10/11f) was completed when the J.P. McManus-owned gelding swept to success in the Grade 1 Race & Stay At Punchestown Champion Bumper, emulating Facile Vega’s feat last season having earlier scored at Cheltenham and the Dublin Racing Festival.

Held up initially, A Dream To Share had to make his challenge widest of all as the field packed up turning into the straight and once he got himself into a challenging position, he found main market rival Tullyhill and Patrick Mullins still travelling well. Once Gleeson got the revs up, the son of Muhaarar had too much and he came clear for a second Grade 1 win.

“He is just a very classy horse and I’m very happy to be riding him,” the student rider said. “We got racing a fair way out today and he had to dig deep, he showed how tough he was.

“He is very versatile, he seems to handle all types of ground and everyday he goes out and does what he has to do.”

When asked about juggling these big-race moments with studying for his Leaving Certificate, Gleeson replied: “It’s surreal really, I have to get my head back in the books now!”

A Dream To Share became the first horse this century in Ireland to win five bumpers, and his trainer, who turns 86 next week, already has his sights set on a novice hurdling campaign.

“The horse is a great battler and that is a big plus,” Kiely said. “John was very strong on him. I couldn’t have had the horse better and I was delighted with him coming here. He has jumped a hurdle before we started anything but he will have plenty of practice now.

“This is the fourth time I’ve won this. I think we won it in the 80s with a horse called Ballyhane, we won it with Liss A Paoraigh and we won it with a horse for J.P. called Sweet Till. It’s not too bad for a small stable is it?”