Eric fulfils dreams of Nate and Cody, thanks to a pearler of a drive at Cambridge by ‘Harry’

Nathan Delany admits he started walking back to the stables when he saw his horse Dreams Of Eric buried four deep on the markers turning for home at Cambridge on Thursday night.

But Delany, 25, hadn’t banked on an ice-cool drive by gun junior Harrison Orange and when he heard the commentator say the horse was zipping up the passing lane, he quickly retraced his steps.

All of a sudden, Delany found himself in the winners’ circle, celebrating one of the best drives of the season, only his second win as an owner and the first for his mate Cody Evans.

Delany, who has co-trained the Lincoln Farms’ team with Ray Green since the start of the year, leased Dreams Of Eric from his breeders Jo and Graham Goodin after he failed to reach his $15,000 reserve at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Karaka yearling sales in 2023.

“He was ordinary looking and a bit small, and you wouldn’t have picked him out as one you’d buy, but I was looking for a horse to potter around with.”

And when Evans, an old mate, asked if he could drive one in trackwork, and he did a few rounds behind Dreams Of Eric at Pukekohe one day, Delany said ‘you might as well have a share in him’.

Nathan Delany scored his second win as an owner with Dreams Of Eric.The deal was done and the pair’s hopes for “a bit of fun” were realised on Thursday when the little bloke screamed home to win by a length at only his fourth start.

“I wasn’t expecting much from the bad draw, just hoping he could run a place, so I I couldn’t believe it when he zipped up the inside and won.

“But I thought he could get a couple of wins. He showed quite a bit in his second prep and ran a good half, and he’s quite well bred.”

By Vincent, Dreams Of Eric is out of seven-time winner Marylyne Bromac, but the fact that only one of her five previous foals had made it to the races probably counted against him on sale day.

Delany liked the fact, however, that her one raceday rep Jo’s Dream won 11 races, including the Group One Queen Of Hearts, and was voted 2017-18 aged pacing mare of the year.

“He’s still quite small but he’s grown into a nice horse and he’s a very easy horse to train, you can do anything with him.

“Harry said he was very lazy in behind last night until he flicked the hood off him.

“I’m hoping to race him again next week at Cambridge and Harry can drive him again if he likes,” said Delany keen to help the rookie qualify for July’s Australasian Young Drivers Championship in Brisbane. Orange is tied on 36 wins with Crystal Hackett as leading North Island driver with June 1 the cut-off date.

That’s if Dreams Of Eric isn’t sold, a move which Delany has profited from nicely in the past - “One I bought for $500 and sold to Aussie for $9000. I’ve been through quite a few and eveything’s for sale for the right money.”

Delany, who leased his first winner Illustrious Arden from Lincoln Farms’ owners John and Lynne Street, before also selling her, produced the traditional smoko room shout today, marking his own success and the 21st winner for the training partnership this season.