A good combo - Dreams Of Eric and Harrison Orange at Cambridge where they have won four races together in the last six months. PHOTO: Ange Bridson/Race Images.
Harness 5000 dream over for Nate as fiesty Dreams Of Eric booked to China next month
By Barry Lichter • 26 November 2025
The dream’s over for Nathan Delany with flight schedules ruling Dreams Of Eric out of the Harness 5000 at Ashburton next month.
Delany, who trains and part owns the Vincent three-year-old, had long been aiming him at the $60,000 colts’ and geldings’ race on December 21, for which he is ranked third.
But with the horse now sold to China, and no planes going there in January, his departure has been brought forward to December 16.
So Dreams Of Eric will continue to race at Cambridge until he goes into quarantine and, with only five rivals on Thursday night, he again looks a good chance of picking up a cheque in the seventh race.
While pitted against the higher rated Blazing Louie and Beta Prepare, who have both been racing well at Auckland, Dreams Of Eric has the speed to take up a forward position for driver Harrison Orange.
“I’ll leave it up to Harry again,” Delany said. “He’s done a good job with the horse.
“He wanted to take a sit last time so was quite happy when crossed by Rough And Ready, and Harry said he was still on the bit when he hit the line.”
Though a well beaten second, four lengths behind the now 20-race winner Rough And Ready, Dreams Of Eric fought hard in his typical never-say-die way.
On Thursday he comes back to 1700 metres, a trip he won over two starts back.
“There are a few nice ones in there, like Diamonds Are Forever, but I’m sure he’ll go another good race.”
Delany also takes Im Not The Maid to Cambridge where she will be having her last start for owner Phil Cook before going to stud.
The winner of two races, Im Not The Maid has run only two placings in 17 starts since she last scored 13 months ago.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Spirited Belle
4.46pm
Delany: “I saw she’d been punted but somebody must know something we don’t as I’ve been working her myself and, while she feels all right and hasn’t put the boot in like at Auckland, I think she’ll need the run. She hasn’t got any high speed but feels like she will stay. She has improved a bit but I’d be surprised if she won.”
Race 1: Lincoln Maree
4.46pm
“It’s always hard from these draws but she’s a tough mare who will make her own luck at some stage. She’s going well enough - her drivers have all been happy - and she’s a little warrior who tries like hell.”
Race 2: Major Copy
5.12pm
“He’s only two and very inexperienced but he feels like a good colt and there’s a lot of improvement in him. He certainly caught a lot of people’s attention last time. I don’t know how good he is yet but he’ll be right there.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.12pm
“If he can lead without having to do too much work I can’t see anything beating him. I thought he went great last start. He pressed the winner hard ’til the corner then just flattened out in the run home, but he had every reason to do that after all the work he’d done.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.12pm
“She’s been undone by bad draws. If she led easily from three she’d be hard to beat as she’s a good front-runner.”
Race 4: Spirited Peggy
6.12pm
“We’ve had her for only two weeks but she’s seven now and has had her chance to win one. She has a bit of speed but I think she gets pulling so we’ve got the Hidez (compression) hood on her and plugged her ears up.”
Race 6: Copy N Paste
7.10pm
“We won’t see the best of him for another six months. He’s been a slow developing horse but is improving all the time and getting stronger.”
Race 6: Jessie Lincoln
7.10pm
“If I was having a bet on one of them in the race it would be her. She deserves to win one. Her last two have been really good - she just ran into one who was a bit slicker last time in Major Copy.”
Race 6: Lincoln Dealer
7.10pm
“He’s a bit one-dimensional - you’ve got to feed him track and let him run - so the second row draw is a big handicap. To his credit I was surprised he finished so close last time after all the work he did. When he gets a decent draw and crosses them they’ll know they’re at the races. He’s got a big motor and tries hard.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.08pm
“She clawed her way to the front last time but had nothing left at the finish. That won’t happen this time and she should lead easily from one.”
Race 8: Angelic Copy
8.08pm
“She’s had terrible draws but has been going good races. The others last time were just better than her but this is a big drop in class. With the right trip she could get some of it at huge odds.”
Race 9: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.35pm
“He’s not quick away from a stand but he won’t muff it completely. He steps from the front line and Peter Ferguson was quite happy with his last run.”
Race 9: Lincoln Wave
8.35pm
“He bombed the stand the first time but to be fair all those horses were rushing up at him from the back and that panicked him a bit. He’s on 10 metres this time so that won’t happen.”
