VALLEY OF DREAMS DEFIES THE ODDS

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, November 9, 2022

The Chris Munce trained Valley Of Dreams claimed the fourth win of her areer when she landed a 0-70 handicap over 1350m at Ipswich on November 9.

The six-year-old daughter of Falvelon’s previous performances in her two starts, since resuming from a five-and-a-half month break from race action, had hardly been anything to write home about (finishing well beaten, out of the placings), a factor which obviously contributed to her starting price of $21 ... in what was still a pretty open betting race in which the favourite was marked up at $5.

Jockey Mark Du Plessis was back on board again ... riding Valley Of Dreams for the sixth time having been in the saddle when Valley Of Dreams last won, also at Ipswich, all the way back in January.

As the saying goes, horses don’t know their starting price and Valley Of Dreams had little trouble in making a mockery of his odds.

Du Plessis had Valley Of Dreams smartly out of the gates from a widish draw and the Munce trained runner gained an immediate lead before crossing to the rail and settling in second and then third placing as Xerri ($15) and Bushido ($5.50) pushed forward into the two leading positions.

That left Du Plessis right where wanted to be as it allowed Valley Of Dreams to take a comfortable trail, just a couple of lengths off the lead, well poised to strike.

Du Plessis was patient, but he had Valley Of Dreams creeping closer in the approach to the turn and, when Bushido shifted wide on the bend, Valley Of Dreams was presented with a perfect run in-between the two early leaders ... and she needed no second asking.

Initially, the forward move of Valley Of Dreams was a measured one as she slowly but surely reeled in Xerri, but then, when the $5 favourite Da Party Gal started to fly down the centre of the track from behind, seemingly picking up what looked to be winning momentum, Du Plessis managed to coax that vital, committed, extra effort from Valley Of Dreams ... an effort which saw her go to the line strongly to beat Da Party Gal home by 0.50 lengths.

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