29
Taunton specialist Man Of Dreams, whose four-year sequence of first-time-out wins was broken here last season, was able to make amends this year for the father and daughter team of Eric and Carol Legg, who bred and train him locally. The attractive grey, who was a former ARO Champion racehorse, gave Chloe Emsley a dream ride in the process. Emsley, who has already ridden five point-to-point winners from 20 rides, was making her debut under ARO rules. After the race she commented:" I was very privileged to get the ride on Man Of Dreams today as he was my first ride in Arabian racing. He ran a great race, running from the front all the way - he just kicked away up the home straight and was never giving me any feeling of stopping. Hopefully he can continue his form next time as, he felt great and he did it very easily." In the fifth race, Al Faaris, who was a model of consistency last season, came out on top for Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum and James Owen. Given a very tidy ride by Joanna Mason, he appeared to win a shade cosily by a length from long-time leader Halib Des Forges on his
seasonal reappearance. In the sixth race it was a remarkable winning performance by SeĂąor Dublcheck, who had been without a victory for three years, as all his previous winning form was over shorter trips. Trained by Claire Taylor for the BXPS Partners, he was settled in the rear by regular partner Rob Woollard, who gradually eased him into the race, producing him to challenge in the final half furlong. Afterwards Woollard laughed saying:"We were both overdue to have a win!" Continuing he said:"I didn't think he got the trip at Bath last year, but that was in a higher grade. I thought they went pretty quick early on which I think helped too, as he can be quite keen sometimes, which is why we left the blinkers off. I dropped him out and sat at the back and it fell into my hands really, going down the back straight and it was just a question of seeing out the trip and not committing too soon. Thankfully he got home - he's a star."
Man Of Dreams (GB) and Chloe Emsley THE ARABIAN RACEHORSE
