Dreams Are Free into NZ Cup calculations after Kurow Cup win

By Jonny Turner 

Plans changed quickly in the hours following Dreams Are Free’s win in Sunday's Waitaki Hotel Kurow Cup.

The pacer overcame a 35m back mark when running to a strong victory in the Oamaru feature over a brave Borrisokane.

The win has prompted trainer-driver Nathan Williamson to make two key moves with his five-year-old.

The first is to put in a New Zealand Cup nomination and the second is to nominate for Friday's Group 3 Maurice Holmes Vase.

"He's come through the run so well that I have thrown in a nomination for Addington this week," Williamson said.

"Firstly, the race we were looking at next for him, he's gone over the rating band for it."

"With how the horse has travelled home and eaten up, we will back him up."

Dreams Are Free and Williamson have faced a mountain of ongoing challenges which first flared up in the late stages of the horse's three-year-old season.

The most serious of them has been a wind issue which required surgery and saw the horse out of action for eight months, before returning in last year's Kurow Cup.

It has been far from a smooth road in the past 12 months for Dreams Are Free, his trainer or owners Brendan Fahy and the Dreams Are Free Syndicate.

But that adds a whole extra layer of satisfaction to the horse's victory.

"He's had all sorts of niggling problems along the way, so the win is great for the horse's confidence and the owners."

"Brendan and the syndicate have had to be pretty patient right the way through, so it is great for them."

"He is a lovely horse and very genuine, even though he's had his problems, he has always put in so it is great to see him get rewarded for it."

Borrisokane chased bravely in the home straight, getting to a length behind Dreams Are Free in his first start in more than 21 months.

Williamson had to settle for second in the Kurow Trotters Cup on Sunday with another backmarker.

Tarragindi closed well late but couldn't reel in Swift Dream who ran to a strong front-running victory for trainer Noel Taylor and driver Blair Orange.

One of the most impressive wins at the Kurow meeting came in the maiden trot.

Brooks Spirit showed his class when overcoming sitting parked for the entirety of his 2600m assignment to win.

The promising three-year-old is bred and raced by Greg and Nina Hope and trained by Greg and Ben Hope.

Brooks Spirit is the fourth winner for his sire Carlton, who is owned by the Hopes and stands at Wai Eyre Farm in Canterbury.