The 1,2,3 in the last at Leopardstown, I Have A Dream, Call Me Bubbles and Strandfield Lady© Photo Healy Racing
Aidan and Joseph O'Brien (2 in front of Pat Smullen in jockey's title race) doubled their score on Champion Stakes Day at Leopardstown when I Have A Dream put up a great weight carrying performance in the concluding Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Handicap.
Earlier victorious with Battle Of Marengo in the Listed juvenile event, Joseph O'Brien employed similar tactics here, always on the front-end in this staying contest.
Like Battle Of Marengo, I Have A Dream is a son of Galileo and he looked like he'd struggle to keep all his opponents at bay before the straight when headed.
However the victor, a mere three-year-old, showed a tenacious attitude to get back and then hold the determined challenge of Call Me Bubbles (in receipt of 23Ibs) by a neck.
Aidan O’Brien said: "He's a hardy tough horse. He handles fast ground and he stays.
"I thought St Nicholas Abbey ran a good race (3rd in the Champion Stakes to Snow Fairy and we're very happy with him.
"He has a lot of options and he can step back up to a mile and a half."
Meanwhile Stan James introduced I Have A Dream into their Melbourne Cup betting at 66/1. He may be the only Ballydoyle possible for that race.
The Stewards requested a report from Mr A P O’Brien into the apparent improvement in form of I Have A Dream (GB), winner, compared with the previous run at Killarney on 30th August, when the horse finished seventh of nine. Mr O’Brien reported that coming back up in trip today may have helped but that the change in going was the most significant factor as the ground was particularly heavy at Killarney last time.
Having considered the evidence the Stewards noted the explanation offered.
(GC & EM)
