Tag Archive for: A Dream To Share

A Dream To Share does it again at Punchestown

/by

A Dream To Share proved beyond any doubt he is the best bumper horse in training with a tenacious victory in the Race & Stay At Punchestown Champion I.N.H. Flat Race.

Not only was he following up his Cheltenham Festival success, he was completing a five-timer in the process, almost unheard of in the bumper sphere.

It was Willie Mullins’ Tullyhill who made the winner pull out all the stops on this occasion, with the Cheveley Park Stud-owned five-year-old taking a big step forward from his sole win at Gowran.

Patrick Mullins travelled into the home straight seemingly going much better than his teenage contemporary John Gleeson, who was hard at work on the odds-on favourite.

The two got close together inside the final furlong, but A Dream To Share (8-11), trained by the veteran John Kiely, showed he had guts to go with his undoubted ability, and once on top he forged three and three-quarter lengths clear.

It was just the third time in 11 years Mullins had not won the premier bumper at the Punchestown Festival.

John Gleeson salutes the crowd
John Gleeson salutes the crowd (Brian Lawless/PA)

Gleeson said: “I can’t believe it, I’m very, very lucky to be honest.

“He’s a very, very special horse and I’m very lucky to be riding him.

“I thought when Jody (Townend on It’s For Me) went along the outside, we got racing plenty early and I was just trying to bide my time. You can get sucked in there a bit early around that bend to get racing.

“He’s so straightforward, he has so much class. It just wows me. He’s such an honest horse, he gives you 110 per cent every morning, even on the gallop. He tries his heart out for you and he had to dig deep today.

“I thought he was even more impressive today to show that toughness.”

Kiely said: “He’s an amazing horse to keep his form for so long.

“He had to dig deep at the end, I think Patrick’s horse is a very decent horse. John was against a strong man and did well for his age.

“The races all came at a distance apart, they were timed that we were able to work it. The space between Dublin, Cheltenham and now suited us.

“JP (McManus) was a great man to go out and buy him, but he bought a nice horse.

“He’s a great battler, he battles well and that’s a big plus. I couldn’t have had him better and I was delighted with him coming here.”

He went on: “He had jumped before we thought anything of him, but since he showed us something we were minding him. From here on now I’d say he’ll learn to jump.

“I’ll keep going for another while but very soon my nephew Tommy is going to join me on the licence.

“He’ll take over and do long journeys and I can sit back and watch. I’ll be around though for as long as I’m left.

“This horse is worth getting up for in the morning, but checking his legs is a worry every day!”

A Dream outcome to Champion Bumper is one to remember

/by

There was a very special conclusion to day two of the Cheltenham Festival when 18-year-old John Gleeson steered John Kiely’s A Dream To Share to a thrilling Weatherbys Champion Bumper success.

The 85-year-old Kiely has won many big races throughout a long and distinguished career in the training ranks, but one notable omission was a victory at the Festival.

He found the perfect ally to fill that void in the unbeaten five-year-old, who was bred and previously owned by ITV and RTE presenter Brian Gleeson and his wife Claire.

He headed to Prestbury Park on the back of a win at the Dublin Racing Festival last month, and with new owners, having been snapped up to run in the colours of JP McManus.

But the 7-2 chance remained the mount of the younger Gleeson who produced a ride befitting a man with much more experience than his tender years and someone experiencing the white-hot atmosphere of the Festival for the first time.

Rounding the home bend, he had Patrick Mullins and the 16-5 favourite Fact To File in his sights and it was not long before he was asking his mount for an effort – quickening smartly in the rain-sodden ground to breeze past his old rival and confirm Leopardstown form in a win to remember.

Kiely said: “I was always happy with the horse all the way through, he’s been a nice horse since day one but I was concerned about the ground today to be honest.

“I knew the horse was tip-top but I was worried about the ground so I’m delighted with the way it worked out.

“Just with the ground I worried that he’d get there too soon, but the young man was fantastic. He’s been coming in every morning to ride him. He’ll muck out and he’ll do everything, I just hope he keeps his feet on the ground now.

“I’ve been coming here since 1976 and we had the winner of the Stayers’ Hurdle in 1993 with Shuil Ar Aghaidh (trained by his brother, Paddy).

John Gleeson celebrates
John Gleeson celebrates (David Davies for the Jockey Club)

“I’m 86 in May, I gave up riding three years ago with Covid. I’ve spent my life in racing, you never think as a youngster you’d get to be in this hallowed spot.

“This horse is named well isn’t he, they named him on Christmas day as a family, A Dream To Share, it’s lovely.”

The winning rider said: “I can’t believe how smoothly it went, to be honest. Did that just happen? I can’t believe it.

“We kind of set out to keep it simple. The ground was a bit poached everywhere, but we thought on the outside it was a bit better.

“The ground is quite holding, so we decided to take our time and he did it so well. I followed Patrick and it worked out so perfectly.

“Just to be here at the Festival, it’s unreal. To have a winner for John Kiely at the Cheltenham Festival – that man is so good to me and I can’t thank him enough. To Mr McManus as well, for letting me keep the ride, I’m very grateful.

A proud Brian Gleeson watches on
A proud Brian Gleeson watches on (David Davies for the Jockey Club)

“It’s very special. We’re a small team at home, but we try our best to get to the big stage and to win is unbelievable.

“I’ve known John for as long as I can remember and I ride this horse every day before going into school. I’ve had to park the books for a week, but it was definitely worth it!

“My mum named the horse on Christmas Day a couple of years back and my dad gets a great kick out of it.”

Gleeson senior said: “It’s tremendous. Cheltenham Festival, with your son riding, in those colours and trained by a maestro in John Kiely – it’s nearly a book!

“The horse was named by my wife Claire. We always say everything good in life is worth sharing and this horse we always thought was good.

“The dream was to have a winner at the Cheltenham Festival trained by John Kiely. He’s 86 in May and now he’s had his first Festival winner – it’s fairytale stuff.”