| FEATURE RACE COMMENT |
YEAR: 2004
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| Steven Reid, Baileys Dream & Todd Mitchell |
He did so with a remarkable effort in which he twice fought off the attempts of Advance Attack to lead. Advance Attack was on the back foot and tiring on the corner, passed by his stablemate Mighty Cullen. Baileys Dream kept rolling and extended his lead down the straight to win in the manner of something special.
"He beat Winforu in a workout at Pukekohe before he came down here," said driver Todd Mitchell. "I gave him two taps on the corner and he kicked again. He is the type of horse who can sustain his speed for a long time," he said.
Baileys Dream is a first-season son of the Woodland Stud-based stallion Dream Away, by Artsplace, and cost Robert Fumularo $40,000 as a yearling. Bought for him by leading trainer Steven Reid, Baileys Dream is a half-brother to Cup class mare Black Eyed Bailey. They are from the Smooth Fella mare Black Eyed Susan, who went five years without a foal between leaving OK Bailey in 1996 and Baileys Dream. She is also the dam of a yearling colt by Christian Cullen and was served last season by Pacific Rocket.
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 12May04
YEAR: 2004
 |
| Advance Attack (outer) & Marika fight out the finish |
The colt had no luck in the early settling of places, but had moved by the 800m and had joined Marika soon after. They cut away from the others in the straight, and it appeared Marika had the measure of Advance Attack 50 metres out.
Circumstances changed dramatically from there. Ricky May, the driver of Marika, lost his whip after it tangled with a back hopple. Then, just as Advance Attack levelled up near the line, Marika appeared to turn his head to the left, which may have been the slim difference there was between the pair at the end. "My horse is very genuine," said Purdon. "He is only little, but he has a big heart, just like his brother."
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 7Apr04
YEAR: 2004
 |
Having gone within a lip of being the fastest 2-year-old in New Zealand's history, and doing everything but lower the colours of Advance Attack at his latest outing, no one could say the Marika did not deserve to win a big one this season. And at last Friday night the Presidential Ball colt got his due reward when he and regular pilot Ricky May took out the $150,000 Garrard's Sires' Stakes Final.
May was in stellar form all evening, driving five winners in total. On the few occasions he didn't come back at the head of the field May was watching and taking notes, and in the end that helped him snare the night's biggest prize. "Not many leaders had won tonight," he said, remembering his thoughts as he hopped into Marika's sulky for the Group 1 event. "We had to use our handy draw and go to the front, but I knew once there, we were going to be taken on because Advance Attack and Bailey's Dream were always going to come around."
May was still in two minds whether to try and lead all the way as the field gathered speed behind the mobile, and in the end the decision he was leaving right up to the last minute was made for him - by Anthony Butt. May took Marika to the front easily, and then Butt pushed on from his wide draw with purpose and May took a trail. It was the winning of the race. Butt's drive Tribute pinged along in front, and as predicted the moves soon came from the back, with Advance Attack and then Baileys Dream making their way around the field.
May sat patiently, waiting for his chance and knowing that his main rivals were using up vital reserves of energy; Tribute dragged him and Marika all the way to the passing lane and he rallied his colt for the charge to the line, eventually winning the home straight battle by half a neck after the last quarter flew by in 27.7. "It was our turn tonight," May said afterwards. "Marika's a pretty versatile horse, and he has got great manners for a 2-year-old. You can do anything with him."
Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 19May04
YEAR: 2004
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| Advance Attack outfinishes Tribute |
Advance Attack, the little brother to Courage Under Fire who is trained and driven by Mark Purdon for John Seaton, gamely closed on Tribute to win the $30,000 International Cargo Express Rising Stars Championship.
He had finished a close second the week before to Presido in a Sires' Stakes heat, but improved sufficiently to take the higher ground in the pecking order for the time being.
Presido was parked mostly, and dropped off Tribute by two and a half lengths at the end.
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 13Oct04