By Neil Evans
A still under-rated five-year-old who hasn’t won for nearly 10 months can finally return to the winner’s circle at Monday’s feature Bathurst meeting.
Dream Eclipse last scored in the first week of November finishing best through heavy ground in a Class 1 at Goulburn.
Bathurst will host an action-packed meeting on Monday.Credit:Fairfax Photographic
And his only other win was in May 2021 when he powered home to beat a handy maiden field at Hawkesbury.
Despite threatening many times since, and overcoming a few setbacks along the way, the son of Dream Ahead should boast a much-better record than those two wins and six placings from 24 starts.
But he’s mostly been a commodity of frustration for the Brooke Somers yard at Hawkesbury. In fact, it’s doubtful a horse has had so many gear changes in little more than a year.
From several bit types, tongue ties, nosebands, pre-race ear muffs and front bar plates, Dream Eclipse has been the veritable equine wardrobe turnstyle, but the winning signs are finally there heading into a moderate Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1400m fourth-up this prep.
Two starts back at Goulburn he surged late from midfield to be beaten less than a length before hitting the line even stronger on a Heavy 9 to finish only a long neck away in a race with more depth.
Drawn to get to the outside at Bathurst in the final race, Dream Eclipse won’t get a better chance to break that long run of outs.
Earlier, leading Warwick Farm trainer Bjorn Baker saddles up another strong team in the Central West, headed by progressive mare Bringonthebubbles who shapes nicely to crack her maiden over 1200m at just her second start.
After an eye-catching provincial trial, the daughter of Sebring finished strongly on debut in very heavy ground at Goulburn, and will be much better served here over 200m further on a surface that should improve close to a Soft 6.
Supplied by Racing NSW.
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