Stakes Dream Comes to Fruition

Northern filly Darci’s Dream (NZ) (Darci Brahma) travelled to the South Island for a decisive win in the Listed $50,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Canterbury Belle Stakes at Riccarton on Saturday.

Darci’s Dream (NZ) successful in the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Canterbury Belle Stakes at Riccarton. Photo courtesy of Race Images Chch.

Trained in Matamata by Jason Bridgman, Darci’s Dream headed south in search of black-type and came up trumps with Saturday’s victory. The Canterbury Belle Stakes was also the first leg of the New Zealand Southern Filly of the Year Series with the daughter of Darci Brahma taking an early lead on seven points.

“We targeted this race at the start of the preparation so it was very pleasing to pull it off,” commented Bridgman. “She performed well at two and has come up even better as a three-year-old. She has furnished well and should be in for a really good spring.

“With black-type under her belt now we will head to the Ray Coupland Stakes in four weeks and then, more than likely, into the 1000 Guineas.”

New Zealand record holding rider David Walsh was aboard Darci’s Dream and gave her a perfect ride. Not wanting to be caught in traffic near the inside, Walsh elected to race three-wide with cover around the dog-leg bend at Riccarton. Racing in clear air in the straight, Darci’s Dream went to the front with 100m to go and put pay to the field to win by three-quarters-of-a-length from Concensus (Postponed) and Cryptic (NZ) (Sakhee’s Secret) to give the northerners the trifecta.

“David rode her like the best horse in the race,” said Bridgman. “He was very positive about getting the position he wanted and it was a 10 out of 10 ride, he took no chances – it was exactly what we wanted.

“She has got a good share of ability. That was her third win now and not many three-year-olds have won that many by this time of the season, she is doing a really good job for Fortuna and continues their great run this season.”

Saturday’s win was Darci’s Dream’s third victory from seven starts and takes her earnings to $45,000 for her owners the Fortuna Darci's Dream Syndicate managed by John Galvin.

Bred by David Ellis & Karyn Fenton-Ellis, Darci’s Dream is out of Sweet Dreams Baby (Van Nistelrooy) who has had three runners to race that have all been winners. She is from the family of triple Group 1 winner and champion sire Danehill Dancer (Danehill).

John Galvin’s Fortuna Syndications purchased Darci’s Dream for $45,000 at the 2013 Karaka Select Sale from Phoenix Park.

Darci’s Dream earned seven points in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series on Saturday, runner-up Concensus received three points while third placing Cryptic netted one point. The next race in the Series is the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Stakes at Wingatui on 7 March 2015.

To view the current leaderboard for New Zealand Bloodstock’s Southern Filly of the Year Series, click here.