Dreams Of Eric goes from black and blue to blue and white, now for Harness 5000

Co-trainer and part-owner Nathan Delany had no hesitation in agreeing to don the colours of the New Zealand Horse Ambulance Trust when Dreams Of Eric raced at Cambridge on Thursday night.

“I thought since we had a ride with them the other week, it was the least we could do,” said Delany referring to the ambulance which took the colt off the track after his heavy crash on his last visit to Cambridge three weeks ago.

And in a fitting result it was Dreams Of Eric and Harrison Orange wearing the white and blue silks who flashed across the line first, furthering the August campaign to raise awareness of equine welfare.

The New Zealand Horse Ambulance Trust colours worn by Dreams Of Eric.The win, Dreams Of Eric’s third in only 10 starts, elevated him to equal second in the ranking order for the inaugural $60,000 Harness 5000 race for three-year-old colts and geldings at Ashburton on December 21.

And with $8800 in earnings, Delany suspects his little warrior may not even have to win again to make the 14-horse cut, so that 12-race Sunday meeting will now be his entire focus.

Where else, he says, will he have the chance to race for such a stake away from the topline blue bloods? - the Jewels-type day is restricted to the progeny of stallions with a service fee up to only $5000.

Getting to the race would be a feather in the cap for Delany and the entire Lincoln Farms’ team as their horse isn’t racing for the bigger stakes at Addington which has helped top qualifier Berrettini, who has won races worth $15,000 and $14,212.

“We’re only racing for $8000 at Cambridge but I think he’ll have enough money now so he’ll have two more starts (runners must have five starts between July 3 and December 9) - then I’ll give him a little rest.”

Delany said he contemplated telling Orange to go back on Dreams Of Eric from his outside draw to help restore his confidence after the July 31 crash.

“But I was talking to Zac (Zachary Butcher) earlier in the day and he said the best thing I could tell him was nothing.

Harrison Orange … drove his 57th winner on Dreams Of Eric.“Harry actually asked me ‘should I go easy on him?’ and I said ‘no, he’s fit enough, you drive him how you want to. You shouldn’t need to give the drivers out there any instructions.”

Orange ended up going forward, using the horse’s good gate speed, and once he found the front, Delany said Eric obligingly switched off.

“He’s that sort of horse. He waits for them and if he sees something coming, he’ll start racing it.”

They were coming from all directions late in the home stretch and little Eric kept finding, having to run only 58.2 and 28.4 home to score by half a length over Sky Legacy in a sedate 2:47.7.

Dreams Of Eric, who started the 2/5 favourite, took his record to an enviable three wins and four placings from only 10 starts, for stakes of $17,385.

“He’s done a good job for what he is. He’s only small but what I like about him is his attitude. He’s such a cool horse to work with. He’s such a quiet colt, you can do anything with him.

“It’s been a good team effort. Everyone at the barn gets in and helps out.”

Delany likes the little fighter so much he’s also leased his full yearling brother from owner-breeders Graham and Jo Goodin.

“He’s quite small too - he’s short and stocky - but I think he’ll end up a bit bigger.”

Dreams Of Eric’s dam Marylayne Bromac was a durable racemare, winning seven of her 110 starts. She earlier produced 11-race winner Jo’s Dream who’s main claim to fame was dead-heating with superstar Partyon in the Group One Queen Of Hearts at Auckland in 2017.