Don’t Stop Dreaming has replaced Chase a Dream as Purdon Racing’s Auckland Cup prospect on New Year’s Eve in spite of his defeat at Addington in the Christian Cullen Classic.
With Chase a Dream headed for a short break after his lack of lustre in the New Zealand Derby, Don’t Stop Dreaming will be at least as competitive in Nathan’s assessment.
“Chase a Dream has just not quite been up to the mark in two runs now so we have opted for a four week break for him and then look at the northern features in March and April where he will have several opportunities” said Nathan after assessing the Derby where the rising four year old (by racing season) ran well below his best.
“He’s obviously a lot better than that and a break is what he needs just now.”
But Don’t Stop Dreaming, who also seemed disappointing to the eye on Derby night.earned a lifeline after Nathan assessed the race.
“To the eye on the night he was disappointing I thought.But when we had a second look, he towed a punctured tyre for quite a way on a 54 800 and came through it well. So we scratched the Invercargill Cup and decided on Auckland with Chase a Dream out.There is a flight up a week before the race which is ideal and Oscar Bonavena will be on the plane with him”
The stable is not counting out an Australian campaign with Don’t Stop Dreaming but if it eventuates it will be a “hit and run” affair rather than one of any length.
“We will see what happens. He would not be suited to a multi race campaign at a track like Menangle but if we could jump into a nice race over there that suits and fly in and out it could happen”
Mr Kaplan is already in the north having enjoyed a nice trip in the Queen of Hearts last week.
Arden’s Memory was engaged at Invercargill on Friday but Nathan is not planning for a big holiday racing team.
“We don’t have the same numbers All Stars used to have anyway but we’ve got six or seven to come in at New Year and that will keep us busy” .Nathan will accompany the team to Auckland.
There was a highlight and two lowlights for Nathan in the Derby
The highlight was clearly Vessem who finally showed his true class running home for second after testing the skills of all concerned in the leadup campaign,failing to reproduce his best training form on raceday.
” We took a wee bit of a gamble on his later Derby prep which could easily ave gone wrong. It was satisfying to see that come off so well”
“Long term we are looking at a Country Cups campaign for him.There is a nice race coming up at Motukarara which will suit and he can go on to the suitable races from there”
It was with mixed feelings that Nathan watched We Walk By Faith win for the Hayden Cullen stable however.
Nathan picked the Derby winner out in the sale ring in Australia and spent lots of time developing the talent he showed at two before his switch to Hayden’s stable mid season.
“He was not a horse easily made and he took time and a lot of work to do the right things.So watching the win from that aspect wasn’t easy.But that’s racing. Its ups and downs”