Irish Dream to overcome wide draw

by AAP

By Mathew Toogood

SYDNEY, July 25 AAP - Former champion jockey Ron Quinton will rely on the navigational skills of Glyn Schofield after stakeswinner Irish Dream came up with the outside gate for Saturday's Listed Winter Challenge.

The Quinton-trained Irish Dream broke through for a valuable black type victory in the Listed Winter Stakes (1400m) last start and will be tested over 1600m in Sydney's final stakes race of the season.

A field of 11 was declared on Wednesday but three-year-olds Australian Star and Hendricus, who were dual acceptors, won't be lining up in the feature race.

"Glyn will just have to ride her better," Quinton said of Irish Dream's wide draw.

"I would probably have preferred a softer draw but at the end of the day, Glyn will work it out.

"She got back the other day, came around them and made a long run and still beat them."

Irish Dream joined Quinton's team from the Peter Moody stable earlier this year and the trainer said the Winter Stakes win was satisfying.

"That was great to win a nice little Listed race with her," Quinton said.

"We thought we'd give her a try at the 1600 metres this week. I think there was a genuine thought that she was more of a short-distance horse but she is by Falbrav who was a really great horse over 2000 metres around the world.

"There were few other opportunities for her outside of this anyway. I think she'll run well."

Irish Dream was on the second line of betting at $5 in early TAB Sportsbet markets, along with the Peter Snowden-trained Erewhon while Victorian Forty Thirty was the $4.60 favourite.

A rising six-year-old, Irish Dream's racing days are numbered but Quinton says she could be freshened-up after Saturday to target the Toy Show Quality early next season.

King Lionheart has topweight on Saturday with 59kg and takes in an unbeaten second-up record.

The Gai Waterhouse-trained gelding was third to the Quinton-trained Monton in the Group Two Villiers Stakes last December.

"You've got to respect the topweight," Quinton said when glancing over the field.

"He's a highly-rated horse and ran a place behind Monton in the Villiers. If Monton was in this race you'd think he'd be hard to beat, wouldn't he?"

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