VALLEY OF DREAMS STILL GOING STRONG

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, March 22, 2023

A six-year-old mare, a thirty-two start veteran ... still putting in and winning.

That, in short, sums up the performance of the Chris Munce trained Valley Of Dreams who powered home at the juicy odds of $9.50 to see off the late rally of Charge On ($4.60) and claim her sixth career victory when landing a Class 5 Handicap over 1350m at Doomben on March 22.

Mark Du Plessis has ridden Valley Of Dreams to the last four of those victories, dating all the way back to January 2022, and his knowledge of the horse and the way in which they work together was, yet again, a telling point in the result.

It had been a month between runs when Valley Of Dreams faced the starter here.

That freshness, combined with a number one barrier draw, allowed Du Plessis to put Valley Of Dreams into the race from the very first bound.

After jumping well enough to ensure Valley Of Dreams would take suitable benefit from jumping from pole position, Du Plessis was happy to let the speed out wider come around him as he settled Valley Of Dreams into a perfect third place, saving ground on the rail, just two lengths off the leader.

Valley Of Dreams held that position at a comfortable gallop behind an ordinary speed through the sweep to the home turn. With the inside line, the Munce trained runner was up to second place on straightening ... and she then didn’t take long in getting the measure of the early leader Boncassie ($14).

Out in front now, Valley Of Dreams came under immediate threat ... firsty from the $18 chance Moktaffy who accelerated into contention, making a big move down the centre of the track, and then from Charge On who was flying late coming from near the tail of the field.

Valley Of Dreams wouldn’t have wanted the race to be much further, but she was resolute to the line, doing enough to keep Charge On and Moktaffy back in second and third place, just 0.38 and 0.45 lengths back respectively.

A superb rails hugging ride ... never going around a horse ... and Valley Of Dream’s commitment to the cause had carried the day.

That’s six wins and twelve minor placings from those thirty-two starts now for Valley Of Dreams ... with $158 940 banked in prize-money.

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