QUEENSLAND DERBY WINNER - DARK DREAM - SET FOR HONG KONG DEBUT. ZAC PURTON TAKES THE RIDE

By Darren Winningham | Friday, December 7, 2018

Dark Dream will try to follow in the footsteps of Eagle Way and Ruthven, who both run in Sunday’s Longines Hong Kong Vase, as horses to have been sold to Hong Kong after winning the Group One Queensland Derby (2,200m), with Ruthven starting his career with John Moore before transferring to Frankie Lor’s yard this season.

Both Eagle Way (winner 2016) and Ruthven (winner 2017) have enjoyed success since racing in Hong Kong. The question is can Dark Dream win first up when he steps out over an unsuitable 1600 metres this weekend? The son of All American will be having his first start for new up and coming trainer Frankie Lor and will be ridden by Zac Purton.

Dark Dream, who won four times in Australia and accumulated just under AUD$600,000 in prizemoney was sold by the owners in late July to Hong Kong interests. He was sensational leading all the way in the Queensland Derby with a perfectly rated dashing front riding display by Tim Clark.

The sale of the horse upset the Kembla Grange based trainer Kerry Parker who had trained the gelding to be in the money at all ten career starts which included the Group 1 win at Doomben, which was Parker’s first taste of Group 1 glory. At the time of his sale he was a genuine Caulfield Cup chance being placed at $21 in the early markets.

Dark Dream has trialled twice since arriving in Hong Kong and Lor expects a good showing from the promising gelding in the Class Two Maurice Handicap (1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.

“He’s trialled twice and he’s looked good. I can’t say he’s 100 per cent but he’s in good form at this moment and he will show something on Sunday,” Lor said. “I have confidence in the horse.”

Lor said that Dark Dream will be aimed at the 2019 BMW Hong Kong Derby to be held on 17 March 2019 at Sha Tin. He is confident that will learn more about the gelding after Sunday’s race.

“Looking towards the Derby, I will have a look this Sunday how he races and then I can decide,” Lor said.

I think that the horse will probably need the run at his new base in Hong Kong but I expect him to move forward and be better for the run. I would think that after this run we should probably follow him in his future starts once he gets over some more ground – 2000 metres or greater.

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