Milder pace gives I Dream Again the chance

I DREAM AGAIN, last year’s Jamaica Derby winner, was run off his legs and left with too much to do, attempting to match sprinters at five furlongs round on September 20.

Reverting to middle-distance, six and a half furlongs, in Saturday’s Caymanas Park Announcers’ Trophy, I DREAM AGAIN should make amends against a handful of older horses and four-year-old peers, who were no match for him last season.

Trainer Jason DaCosta attempted a relay on last, sending STARRAURA to chase DANKA off the lead at five furlongs round. STARRAURA ran as ordered, ripping splits of 22.4 and 34.4. However, I DREAM AGAIN, breaking widest from stall nine, lacked the speed to get into contention, racing seven lengths, next-to-last at the half-mile marker.

Racing wide into the lane, straightened sixth and only got going a furlong out, closing fast, but too late to overhaul upsetter HAIL THE QUEEN, who had wrested the lead from MY SUNSHINE in a duel of sprinters after STARRAURA had weakened along the rail.

Going an additional furlong and a half at a milder pace, I DREAM AGAIN will be closing fastest of his peers with only one older horse to worry about, Gary Subratie’s six-year-old, COOKIE DAY N NIGHT, who had chased him down in August’s O & S Tack Room Trophy at a mile but was collared by late-charging upsetter WHIZZ KID.

Robert Halledeen would have learnt his lesson from that loss, making his move way too early down the backstretch, dashing to the lead four and a half furlongs out past BOB THE BUILDER and opening up five lengths on ALLEGIANCE, who chased him to the top of the lane.

COOKIE DAY N NIGHT slid into contention along the rail and attacked I DREAM AGAIN early in the stretch run, galloping much stronger than his used-up rival, Halledeen doing himself no favours with his mount carrying topweight 121lb.

I DREAM AGAIN has an 11lb swing on COOKIE DAY N NIGHT, being in receipt of four pounds after allowing the six-year-old seven when they met at a mile in August.