Dream Sprinter Tunes Up For Cleveland Bay Bid

Atherton trainer Michael Lee will execute a carefully timed winter carnival assault when he unleashes winning machine Yes Dream on Explore Munro & Co Ladies Day at Cluden Park tomorrow.

Lee has kept the Cluden specialist under wraps since May but will finally produce the home-bred gelding for his final lead-up for the Cleveland Bay Hcp in the Ladbrokes Open Hcp (1200m).

But the owner-trainer said Yes Dream, a winner of all of seven Cluden starts, would be at his best for the Cleveland Bay in a fortnight.

“He’ll need this run and I think he’ll be at his peak for the Cleveland Bay. That’s his target,” Lee said.

“Since his last win in May I just gave him a bit of a let down and then put him back in work again. I didn’t want to keep running him and peak too soon.

“This race is not the big goal, but he will be competitive. If he wins great, but if he’s beaten I won’t be disappointed as long as he runs well.

“He’s a wonderful horse - just tries so hard.

“He’s fit enough for the 1200m but with that sort of weight (60kg) it won’t be easy. I’ll be happy if he runs well and comes through it ok.”

Lee has enjoyed a remarkable run with Yes Dream and older sister Ruby July who have between them won 13 races straight at Cluden and recorded 17 wins all-up from Cairns to Brisbane.

Lacey Morrison, who goes into the season's final meeting with a two-win lead (29 wins) in her bid for back-to-back Townsville jockey’s premierships, has played a big part in that winning streak.

As Lee’s regular rider, she will go into the race with a faultless eight wins from as many starts on Yes Dream.

But the duo, who have drawn barrier 9, will face a crack field of Cleveland Bay hopefuls including talented Cairns sprinters Full Recognition, Smart Image, speedster Molongle Surprise and consistent three-year-old Go Getaboy who will run for Roy Chillemi.

Go Getaboy and Mystery ‘N’ Magic, who will run in the Ladbrokes Winter Cup, are shaping as Chillemi’s only big race candidates for Ladbrokes Townsville Cup Day.

The master trainer is testing Mystery ‘N’ Magic at the 2000m Townsville Cup distance for the first time in the Winter Cup after a slashing fourth to Armour Force in the Magnetic Mile last week.

Chillemi, the principal trainer for owner Tom Hedley, has claimed almost every major race in North Queensland during a career that has netted 1382 wins, but the Townsville Cup is one of the few that has eluded him.

He’s hoping Mystery ‘N’ Magic, a horse he bred and races himself, can give him a serious candidate this year.

 “I’m hoping he’ll run it out. I had a talk to a couple of different riders who’ve been on him recently and they said I should try him so I’m going to go there,” Chillemi said.

“I think he can probably sneak into the Cup field, but he has to run out the 2000m.

“He’s got a little habit of over racing but if he settles I think he’ll run it out. You don’t know until you try.”

Meanwhile, Georgie Holt will claim her first Townsville trainers’ premiership with an unassailable lead with 34 wins for the season, 15 clear of Roy Chillemi.

The young trainer will chase further success with Portnoy in the Winter Cup, Miss Seattle in the Explore Property Munro & Co Ladies Bracelet (1300m) and newcomer Mista Omega in the Higgins Coatings BM 58 Hcp (1000m).

 

Pictured: Yes Dream bobs to beat Smart Image at Cluden in May.

See the racing calendar for upcoming race days.