Tim Clark ended a memorable Doomben 10,000 day with a florish when he rode Dark Dream to a runaway win in the Group Three Rough Habit Plate (2000m).
Dark Dream, the $2.45 favourite, overcame the outside alley in the 15-horse field with ease to outclass his rivals winning by four lengths.
The gelding completed a feature race double for Clark, who scored one race earlier in the day’s feature, the Group One Doomben 10,000 aboard English.
Clark said Dark Dream won’t be troubled when he steps up to the 2200m for the first time in the Group One Queensland Derby at Doomben on June 9.
“He was really strong at the end of the race and is a true stayer,” Clark said.
“The talent is definitely there even though he hasn’t put it all together yet.”
Dark Dream was ridden aggressively by Clark to travel outside the early leader Hang turning out of the straight the first time.
“You can’t sit on him and look too pretty. You have to ride him a bit ugly but coming to the turn he was travelling really strongly and in the straight put them away in a couple of strides.”
Jockey Glyn Schofield said Higher Ground ($4.60) performed up to expectations but was simply no match for Dark Dream.
“I hadn’t spent a penny on him during the run and when I got out at the right time I was full of running but not enough unfortunately to catch the winner,” Schofield said.
Dark Dream is the $3.50 favourite for the Derby ahead of the Darren Weir-trained Lucky For All who scored at Caulfield on Saturday despite racing erratically in the final stages.
