Harness 5000 - "you have to be in it to win it"

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk

Career win number four at Cambridge last Thursday was enough to secure Eric of Dreams a trip to the Harness 5000 at Ashburton next month.

The Vincent three-year-old is trained at Pukekohe by Ray Green and Nathan Delany and is raced by Delany and his mate Cody Evans.

"He's been my project right from the start," says Delany, "I got him as a yearling and broke him in .. he's doing well."

Dreams Of Eric has won four from 14 and will have one more start at Cambridge before heading to Ashburton for the Harness 5000 on December 21.

"It should be a bit of fun," says Delany, "and you have to be in it to win it."

The Harness 5000 features 12 $60,000 finals, all will be 1700 metre mobiles. The series is for trotters and pacers whose sire stood for an advertised retail service fee of $5,000 or less in the breeding season of conception and to be eligible horses must compete in at least five race day starts between July 3 - December 9,2025.

Currently Dreams Of Eric is second in the 3YO Colts and Geldings category behind the in-form Berrettini, who won again at Kaikoura yesterday. It's his fourth win this year for trainer John "Coaster" Howe.

"He raced in that $50,000 race and ran a 1:56.2 mile rate so he's going great," says Delany.

That was at Addington on September 12 when Berrettini beat Spirit Downunder and Crunch Time.

"I'm looking forward to seeing the two of them clash," says Delany.

"If our horse was in front and he had someone outside him that would suit him down to the ground."

"That's when he is at his best."

That was the case in his latest win. Dreams of Eric showed speed out of the gate and was challenged throughout by a parked Barbarossa. But in the end Dreams Of Eric had a bit in reserve in winning by three quarters of a length.

As he did in that win, Harrison Orange will again take the drive in Ashburton.

"For someone in just his second season he's going outstanding," says Delany.

Every week the number of horses eligible for the series is updated on the Harness 5000 tracker. The "168" on the tracker signifies all 12 races having full 14-horse fields. It is however anticipated that around 350 horses will be in the mix come December, though this figure could fluctuate.

Right now the figure is well past that at 270, an increase of 40 on last month. It is anticipated that around 350 horses will be in the mix come December, though this figure could fluctuate. So far the biggest categories are for the 5YO and older Entires and Geldings. There are currently 55 pacers and 51 trotters.

To see the Harness 5000 leaderboard click here