IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH YOU WIN BY

By Graham Potter | Thursday, December 15, 2022

The Chris Munce trained Valley Of Dreams and jockey Mark Du Plessis had to pull out all the stops in a driving finish in a Class 4 Handicap over 1690m at Ipswich on December 15, but, when the dust had settled, the judge gave them the nod allowing them to claim the decision by the narrowest of margins.

It was Valley Of Dream’s second win from her last three starts ... all with Du Plessis aboard.

The previous win for the six-year-old mare came over 1350m ... also at Ipswich ... but the fact that she had already won twice and performed well on numerous occasions over distances around the 1600m, meant that the step up in distance here (from 1350m to 1690m) held no fears for the daughter of Falvelon.

As things turned out in the end though, Valley Of Dreams wouldn’t have wanted it a step further than the 1690.

Du Plessis took Valley Of Dreams ($2.50) into an immediate lead from the break and Valley Of Dreams then set up shop in front, holding a comfortable two length lead as she took the field down the back straight.

As comfortable as that lead was, the $5.50 chance Tolkowski always had Valley Of Dreams in his sights and, when they turned for home with Valley Of Dreams leading and Tolkowski now winding up to challenge ... the race on well and truly on.

The most important work Valley Of dreams did in the race was to maintain a clear advantage down the home straight until she was just inside the final 75m.

That meant that the hard chasing Tokowski had very little time left to be able to reverse the result when he finally did start eating into Valley Of Dream’s lead with meaning ... in fact he did not have enough time ... but it was oh so close. Another stride and the result would have gone the other way.

Full credit to Valley Of Dreams for her commitment in the run home and to Mark du Plessis for calling on all of his considerable expertise to help gain a sweet result.

Valley Of Dreams is now a five-time winner with Du Plessis having partnered her on three of those occasions.

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