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Winning hopes are more than a Delightful Dream

The first TAB Federal (1080m) on the Acton Track in almost two years will feature a terrific field of solely Canberra-based sprinters including team Joseph Jones’ airborne gelding Delightful Dream.

 

A winner of three of his six career starts, Delightful Dream will face his greatest test to date on Friday as he steps up in the TAB Federal, a Benchmark 70 over 1080m. The son of Dream Ahead (USA) won his last assignment, a Class 3 over 1000m on Wagga Gold Cup Day in what was a gutsy, last stride victory.

 

Delightful Dream has also accepted for the TAB Highway at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday but after drawing barrier 17 will line up in Canberra, Trainer Paul Jones confirmed.

 

“While we were looking forward to taking him to the Highway, we’re very excited to step him out on Friday at his home track” Jones said.

 

“He certainly hasn’t gone backwards since his last win, he’s a lightly raced horse who has a lot of upside and he does all of his track work on the synthetic track so the Acton Track will be no issue.”

 

Jones is predicting a hot speed and thinks from barrier five Delightful Dream will settle just behind the leaders.

 

“I think he’s going to need every bit of the 1080m but with the speed that is going to be set by horses in front of him, he’s going to be very strong late.”

 

One of the pace setters, Matthew Dale’s Calescent has been racing in terrific form with a TAB Federal victory three starts back as well as a metro-class second placing at Canterbury last time out.

 

The mare will have to carry 61kgs after a three kilogram claim from apprentice Jockey Hannah Williams and sees the synthetic track for the first time in her racing career.

 

Keith Dryden’s speedy mare Shores of Avalon enters the contest second up after an 11th placing at Warwick Farm on the 12th of May while Gratz Vella’s eye-catching grey The Unknown Factor has been flying of late with a win two starts back on Thoroughbred Park’s course proper.

 

The TAB Federal is Race Five on Friday’s program and is due to jump at 2:15pm. Friday’s meeting will begin with the ITP’s Gone Wild Handicap at 11:45am.

 

 

Pictured: Alongside Trainer Paul Jones, Delightful Dream has  his eyes firmly on the Acton Track ahead of his assignment in the TAB Federal.