A Dream To Share, near side, sizes up Tullyhill© Photo Healy Racing
A Dream To Share maintained his unbeaten record under teenage pilot John Gleeson as the pair outbattled Tullyhill in the Grade 1 Race & Stay At Punchestown INH Flat Race.
This made it five bumpers in-a-row including two at Grade 1 level having landed the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival. In addition, the pair took a Grade 2 at the Dublin Racing Festival in February.
A Dream To Share went after Tullyhill approaching the straight and the pair got acquainted on a couple of occasions approaching the final furlong.
A Dream To Share soon wore down the leader and he stamped his authority by drawing clear in the final 100 yards.
The 8/11 favourite beat the 11/2 runner-up by a growing three and three-quarter lengths. King Of Kingsfield was seven and a-half lengths adrift of the runner-up in third at 28/1.
Gleeson (18) said: "I can't believe it, I'm very, very lucky to be honest.
"He's a very, very special horse and I'm very lucky to be riding him.
"I thought when Jody (Townend on It's For Me went along the outside, we got racing plenty early and I was just trying to bide my time. You can get sucked in there a bit early around that bend to get racing.
"He's so straightforward, he has so much class. It just wows me.
"He's such an honest horse, he gives you 110 per cent every morning even on the gallop. He tries his heart out for you and he had to dig deep today.
"I thought he was even more impressive today to show that toughness."
Trainer John Kiely said: “He's an amazing horse to keep his form for so long.
“He had to dig deep at the end, I think Patrick's horse (Mullins on Tullyhill) is a very decent horse. John was against a strong man and did well for his age.
“The races all came at a distance apart, they were timed that we were able to work it. The space between Dublin, Cheltenham and now suited us.
“JP was a great man to go out and buy him but he bought a nice horse.
“He's a great battler, he battles well and that's a big plus. I couldn't have had him better and I was delighted with him coming here.
“He had jumped before we thought anything of him but since he showed us something we were minding him. From here on now I'd say he'll learn to jump.
“I'll keep going for another while but very soon my nephew Tommy is going to join me on the licence.
“He'll take over and do long journeys and I can sit back and watch. I'll be around though for as long as I'm left.
“This horse is worth getting up for in the morning but checking his legs is a worry every day!”
Paddy Power made A Dream To Share 7/2f from 5/1 for the Supreme Novices Hurdle and 7/1f from 10 co favourite for the Ballymore.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
