Follow Your Dreams (NZ)
2 c Contributer – Dare To Dream by O’Reilly
O: K Rae, M Harris, S and A Rumble, R Dick and D McHugh
B: Kevin Hickman
T: Ken Rae & Krystal Williams-Tuhoro
S: 2020 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale, Book 2 V: Valachi Downs P: Ken Rae Stables, $24,000
W: Nobby Bussell Memorial 2YO Handicap, 800m, October 3, Riccarton
Having posted two wins in trials, Follow Your Dreams (Contributer) made a convincing start to his career when proving to be too speedy for his four rivals, continuing Ruakaka trainer Kenny Rae’s good record of spring success at Riccarton with early season two-year-olds.
The Contributer (High Chaparral) colt was strongly fancied in Saturday’s first two-year-old contest in the south this season off the back of an effortless six-length trial victory on the track last month despite having to cede outright favouritism to the Jamie Richards-trained Matamata raider Avonallo (Belardo).
The two colts locked horns from barrier rise although the filly Quarantina (Wrote) kept them both off the rail in the early stages as she pushed up from an inside barrier.
Avonallo briefly hit the front at the top of the straight, however Follow Your Dreams balanced up and produced a powerful burst to pull away from his rival in the final 100 metres to score comfortably by two lengths in a sharp 45.46 seconds for the 800 metres, the last 600 metres in 31.68.
Rae, who prepares his team with daughter Krystal Williams-Tuhoro, had been nervous before the race however his charge lived up to his opinion of him with a comprehensive performance.
“I was a little bit nervous as we have such a high opinion of him,” Rae said.
“I had hoped I was right as he has a lot of ability and a great temperament.
“I had gone to the sales to buy a horse for Lisa (wife) and I to race. We ended up getting a few friends in with us and I kept thirty per cent.
“He’s very good and right from the moment we broke him in we knew he had ability.
“I was that taken with him after we had bought him, I paid up for the Karaka Million just a few weeks later.”
Rae will continue a southern campaign with Follow Your Dreams who has the Welcome Stakes (Listed, 1000m) on November 14 as his main target.
“He’s thrived since we’ve been down here and hopefully that will continue,” he continued.
“We’ll just keep him ticking over, do a bit of work in the pool and the like as he’s already very professional so doesn’t really need to do much educational work.
“They are normally best following the rail in the early races but he did it three wide today without turning a hair, so you have to be impressed by that.
“The main target is the Welcome Stakes so that’s what I will be aiming him for.”
Bred by Kevin Hickman, Follow Your Dreams is the first foal out of the O’Reilly (Last Tycoon) mare Dare To Dream. He was knocked down to Rae for $24,000 from the Valachi Downs draft of Book 2 of the 2020 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale.
His grandam Danvers (Danzero) is a sister to AJC Flight Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Danglissa, whose six wins also included three further Group victories, as well as running second in The Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) at Caulfield.
Follow Your Dreams kept up a strong gallop and being a grandson of High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells) may well be a factor when tried over more ground later this season and next.