Dreamforce has upstaged two of New Zealand’s best horses to claim a deserved Group One win in the George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill.
The seven-year-old had been placed at the elite level three times in the past year but had his day to shine on Saturday, dominating the 1500m weight-for-age race from the front under Nash Rawiller to beat The Bostonian and Te Akau Shark.
Trainer John Thompson was full of praise for the multiple stakes-winning gelding, who he labelled the most honest horse he had trained and deserving of the Group One success.
“He’s as honest as the day is long,” Thompson said.
“His record speaks for itself.
“He’s a real tough bugger.
“It’s tough being a leader because you’re doing the work all the time and are the one left there. That makes them vulnerable. But on his day he’s as good as any of them.”
Sent out a $12 chance after an unplaced run in the Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) last start, Dreamforce took control of the Ryder dropping back in distance and Rawiller opened a winning break on the gelding early in the home straight after angling out to better ground.
Multiple Group One winner The Bostonian ($7) closed the gap to a short neck on the line while odds-on favourite Te Akau Shark ($1.95) was another 1-1/4-lengths away.
After the race stewards quizzed Te Akau Shark’s jockley Opie Bosson on why he stayed wide on the back straight.
Bosson said he was not happy with the ground on the fence and wanted to follow The Bostonian and ride Te Akau Shark like the best horse in the race.
Thompson said Dreamforce settled better than last start and the trainer was confident a long way out, with Dreamforce racing to his 12th career win from 32 starts.
“He just had him in a nice rhythm today and when he can do that he gives a real good kick,” Thompson said.
“Nash said to me before the race ‘if I’m travelling well I’ll get out into the better going’ and when he came out so wide I knew he was confident.”
The Ryder had been won the previous four years by now-retired champion Winx, with Dreamforce third a year ago.
Dreamforce has twice finished runner-up in Group One mile races at Randwick, including last year’s Doncaster, but Thompson is non-committal about heading that way again.
He said his plan heading into Saturday had been to freshen Dreamforce for the All-Aged Stakes (1400m) next month but he would let the dust settle.
