Tag Archive for: A Dream To Share

Berry pleasantly surprised by Fact To File performance

/in /by

Connections of Fact To File are attempting to temper their enthusiasm slightly following his impressive display at the Dublin Racing Festival.

With his sole rival and Willie Mullins-trained stablemate Gaelic Warrior failing to run up to the level of form he showed when winning at Limerick, it is hard to know quite what he achieved.

But as the times suggested Fact To File reached the last fence much faster than Heart Wood – who won a handicap chase over the same distance later on the card – before being allowed to coast home, plenty are getting excited over what the future may hold.

He is entered in the Turners Novices’ Chase over two and a half miles and the Brown Advisory over three at Cheltenham next month but his target has yet to be decided.

“I was a little surprised how good he looked. You have to be careful not to get too carried away with it, there was only one to beat and he didn’t perform for whatever reason, so you’ve got to bear that in mind,” said Frank Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus.

“But we were delighted with everything, the way he jumped especially and he’s come out of it good, so we’re looking forward to the future with him.

“We don’t know at the minute which race it will be, we’ll decide nearer the time.

“There may have only been two but they went a right good gallop, the question you’d have is that at the business end, he had nothing to beat, so we’ll try not to get too carried away with it. You could only be pleased with him, though.”

Majborough is a nice prospect for the future
Majborough is a nice prospect for the future (PA)

The green and gold silks were also carried by Mullins’ Majborough, who finished third, beaten less than two lengths, on his Irish debut in the Grade One Spring Juvenile Hurdle.

“Majborough ran a lovely race, he jumped well and you’d be very pleased with him,” said Berry.

“Hopefully he’ll come forward from that a bit, as it was his first for Willie.

“It’s unfortunate we couldn’t get him started earlier but that’s the way it turned out.

“He’s come out of the race good and we’ll see where he goes next. He’s a nice, big horse and hopefully he’ll have a good future.”

A Dream To Share lost his unbeaten record
A Dream To Share lost his unbeaten record (David Davies/PA)

One big disappointment for McManus was A Dream To Share, who lost his unbeaten record when only sixth in the Grade Two bumper he won last year.

His hurdling career had been put on hold due to a setback but he will head over obstacles when the new season begins in May.

“A Dream To Share was a little disappointing. The ground by the end of the day was quite tacky and it might have just found him out,” said Berry.

“He’s come out of the race good and we’ll look forward to getting him started over hurdles in the new season.

“We’ll see down the road if he’s one for the Flat but we’re keen to get him started over hurdles when we can.”

A Dream To Share booked to reappear in Leopardstown bumper

/in /by

A Dream To Share is set to bid for back-to-back victories in the Goffs Future Stars INH Flat Race at next month’s Dublin Racing Festival, after connections put a pause on plans to go hurdling this season.

The JP McManus-owned six-year-old is five from five in bumpers for veteran trainer John Kiely, also landing the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham and a Grade One at Punchestown.

He was due to embark on a hurdling career this term and was at the head of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle market, but a setback meant he missed his intended jumping debut at Punchestown in October and he was later ruled out until the new year.

And while A Dream To Share is reported to be back in good form, McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry has confirmed he will instead revert to the bumper route in Leopardstown’s Grade Two finale on February 3.

He said: “All being well, he’ll go for the bumper (at the Dublin Racing Festival).

“Basically he’s missed a few schooling days and a few things and with the setback it just didn’t give us a lot of time to get him jumping.

“He’s eligible for the bumper in Leopardstown and that’s the route he’s going to take, so let’s see how we get on doing this.

“He’s coming along nicely, John is happy with him. We’ll learn a bit more at the Dublin Racing Festival and see where we go from there.”

A Dream To Share sidelined until the new year

/in /by

A Dream To Share, winner of all five of his bumpers last year including at the Cheltenham and Punchestown festivals, has had a setback which will delay his hurdling debut until the new year.

Trained by the veteran John Kiely, he was a popular winner at Cheltenham in March and his exploits, along with that of his teenaged rider John Gleeson, was one of the stories of the season.

He was declared to make an early appearance this season at Punchestown in October. However, he was taken out the day before with a stone bruise.

A Dream To Share was bought by JP McManus before Cheltenham and his racing manager Frank Berry has confirmed the problem was a little more serious than first thought but he is now back in exercise.

“He had a bit of a setback, but he is back in training now and we hope he’ll be running sometime in the new year,” said Berry.

“It had nothing to do with the ground, he wouldn’t have been able to run after his setback and he was off for a few weeks but he’s back in training now and whenever he is ready he will run.

“It’s most likely we’ll see him in the new year. It’s not ideal, the timing of the setback, but there we go. Hopefully everything will go well and we’ll see him out early in the new year.”

A Dream To Share is a general 6-1 favourite for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in March.

A Dream To Share ruled out of eagerly-awaited hurdling bow

/in /by

National Hunt fans have been denied the chance of an early sighting of one of the stars of last season with A Dream To Share no longer running at Punchestown on Wednesday.

The John and Thomas Kiely-trained five-year-old had been declared to start his new career in the BetVictor Predictor Maiden Hurdle, which has an illustrious roll of honour with the likes of Labaik, Samcro and Marine Nationale successful recently.

He is one of the most exciting prospects of the new season, having won five bumpers last term, including successes at Cheltenham and Punchestown.

Bought by JP McManus following his win at the Dublin Racing Festival, his racing manager Frank Berry delivered the unfortunate news that his hurdling debut would have to be delayed.

Speaking at Punchestown on Tuesday afternoon, Berry said: “A Dream To Share won’t be running tomorrow. He has a stone bruise.”

McManus does, though, have the favourite in the BetVictor Proud Sponsors Of Irish Racing Novice Chase in the Willie Mullins-trained Hercule Du Seuil.

The winner of four of his five runs over fences, he is already rated as high as 150.

“He’s taken to jumping very well and has done everything that has been asked of him so far. We’ll just see how he gets on on Wednesday and take it from there,” said Berry.

“He’s won on good ground, he’s won on heavy ground but I think the big thing with him is that he’s learned how to settle. He’s certainly going the right way.

“The handicappers tend to give the summer horses very high marks now. Sometimes they can get a bit lost when the better horses come out so let’s see how he gets on.”

A Dream To Share all set for jumping bow at Punchestown

/in /by

It may only be the opening throes of the new National Hunt season but the ante-post favourite for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, A Dream To Share, runs at Punchestown on Wednesday.

The John and Thomas Kiely-trained five-year-old has already created his own little piece of history having won five bumpers last season, which included popular successes at Cheltenham and Punchestown.

He was ridden to all of those by amateur jockey John Gleeson, as his family bred and previously owned him. Bought by JP McManus after his victory at the Dublin Racing Festival, Mark Walsh takes over in the BetVictor Predictor Maiden Hurdle.

“It’s nothing really to do with the ground, John is just happy with him and said he’s happy to start off and it looks a nice starting point,” said McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry.

A Dream To Share won his fifth bumper at Punchestown
A Dream To Share won his fifth bumper at Punchestown (Brian Lawless/PA)

“He’s in good form but he’ll naturally improve for the run.

“It’s very rare for a horse to do what he did, winning five bumpers and two Grade Ones, it doesn’t happen too often.

“He was very good and John did a great job with him. We’re looking forward to seeing what he can do over hurdles now.

“John has been happy with his schooling, obviously he’ll learn from the run but he’s happy to start him off and touch wood all will go well.”

McManus also has the favourite in the BetVictor Proud Sponsors Of Irish Racing Novice Chase in the Willie Mullins-trained Hercule Du Seuil.

The winner of four of his five runs over fences, he is already rated as high as 150.

“He’s taken to jumping very well and has done everything that has been asked of him so far. We’ll just see how he gets on on Wednesday and take it from there,” said Berry.

“He’s won on good ground, he’s won on heavy ground but I think the big thing with him is that he’s learned how to settle. He’s certainly going the right way.

“The handicappers tend to give the summer horses very high marks now. Sometimes they can get a bit lost when the better horses come out so let’s see how he gets on.”

A Dream To Share does it again at Punchestown

/in /by

A Dream To Share proved beyond any doubt he is the best bumper horse in training with a tenacious victory in the Race & Stay At Punchestown Champion I.N.H. Flat Race.

Not only was he following up his Cheltenham Festival success, he was completing a five-timer in the process, almost unheard of in the bumper sphere.

It was Willie Mullins’ Tullyhill who made the winner pull out all the stops on this occasion, with the Cheveley Park Stud-owned five-year-old taking a big step forward from his sole win at Gowran.

Patrick Mullins travelled into the home straight seemingly going much better than his teenage contemporary John Gleeson, who was hard at work on the odds-on favourite.

The two got close together inside the final furlong, but A Dream To Share (8-11), trained by the veteran John Kiely, showed he had guts to go with his undoubted ability, and once on top he forged three and three-quarter lengths clear.

It was just the third time in 11 years Mullins had not won the premier bumper at the Punchestown Festival.

John Gleeson salutes the crowd
John Gleeson salutes the crowd (Brian Lawless/PA)

Gleeson 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.”

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 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 (McManus) 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 went on: “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!”

A Dream outcome to Champion Bumper is one to remember

/in /by

There was a very special conclusion to day two of the Cheltenham Festival when 18-year-old John Gleeson steered John Kiely’s A Dream To Share to a thrilling Weatherbys Champion Bumper success.

The 85-year-old Kiely has won many big races throughout a long and distinguished career in the training ranks, but one notable omission was a victory at the Festival.

He found the perfect ally to fill that void in the unbeaten five-year-old, who was bred and previously owned by ITV and RTE presenter Brian Gleeson and his wife Claire.

He headed to Prestbury Park on the back of a win at the Dublin Racing Festival last month, and with new owners, having been snapped up to run in the colours of JP McManus.

But the 7-2 chance remained the mount of the younger Gleeson who produced a ride befitting a man with much more experience than his tender years and someone experiencing the white-hot atmosphere of the Festival for the first time.

Rounding the home bend, he had Patrick Mullins and the 16-5 favourite Fact To File in his sights and it was not long before he was asking his mount for an effort – quickening smartly in the rain-sodden ground to breeze past his old rival and confirm Leopardstown form in a win to remember.

Kiely said: “I was always happy with the horse all the way through, he’s been a nice horse since day one but I was concerned about the ground today to be honest.

“I knew the horse was tip-top but I was worried about the ground so I’m delighted with the way it worked out.

“Just with the ground I worried that he’d get there too soon, but the young man was fantastic. He’s been coming in every morning to ride him. He’ll muck out and he’ll do everything, I just hope he keeps his feet on the ground now.

“I’ve been coming here since 1976 and we had the winner of the Stayers’ Hurdle in 1993 with Shuil Ar Aghaidh (trained by his brother, Paddy).

John Gleeson celebrates
John Gleeson celebrates (David Davies for the Jockey Club)

“I’m 86 in May, I gave up riding three years ago with Covid. I’ve spent my life in racing, you never think as a youngster you’d get to be in this hallowed spot.

“This horse is named well isn’t he, they named him on Christmas day as a family, A Dream To Share, it’s lovely.”

The winning rider said: “I can’t believe how smoothly it went, to be honest. Did that just happen? I can’t believe it.

“We kind of set out to keep it simple. The ground was a bit poached everywhere, but we thought on the outside it was a bit better.

“The ground is quite holding, so we decided to take our time and he did it so well. I followed Patrick and it worked out so perfectly.

“Just to be here at the Festival, it’s unreal. To have a winner for John Kiely at the Cheltenham Festival – that man is so good to me and I can’t thank him enough. To Mr McManus as well, for letting me keep the ride, I’m very grateful.

A proud Brian Gleeson watches on
A proud Brian Gleeson watches on (David Davies for the Jockey Club)

“It’s very special. We’re a small team at home, but we try our best to get to the big stage and to win is unbelievable.

“I’ve known John for as long as I can remember and I ride this horse every day before going into school. I’ve had to park the books for a week, but it was definitely worth it!

“My mum named the horse on Christmas Day a couple of years back and my dad gets a great kick out of it.”

Gleeson senior said: “It’s tremendous. Cheltenham Festival, with your son riding, in those colours and trained by a maestro in John Kiely – it’s nearly a book!

“The horse was named by my wife Claire. We always say everything good in life is worth sharing and this horse we always thought was good.

“The dream was to have a winner at the Cheltenham Festival trained by John Kiely. He’s 86 in May and now he’s had his first Festival winner – it’s fairytale stuff.”