Harsh or fair? Analysing Cheltenham Festival winner A Dream To Share's much-disputed opening Flat mark in Naas handicap

The 2023 Weatherbys Champion Bumper winner A Dream To Share finally gets to do some of his talking on the track again rather than in a boardroom at the headquarters of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board. 

When the handicappers refused to give him a rating after winning a Leopardstown maiden in mid-June, JP McManus lodged an appeal to the IHRB in an attempt to get one and the outcome of that is an opening mark of 103. Is it fair? 

Well, he only got a Racing Post Rating of 89 for the performance at Leopardstown and you can count on one hand the number of horses who have got a three-figure rating for winning a maiden in Ireland. 

Latrobe had an identical rating of 103 after he won a Curragh maiden by six and a half lengths and he won the Irish Derby on his next start. 

A Dream To Share was the next big thing in Irish jump racing not so long ago. He was unbeaten in his first five bumpers and his Cheltenham success has worked out spectacularly well given it was this year's Ryanair winner Fact To File who chased him home. 

Hurdling hasn't gone to plan. He was beaten in both his outings over jumps, but he has slowly but surely been getting his house in order on the Flat. A huge eyecatcher in a mile maiden at the Curragh on his Flat debut, he again went into notebooks when dropped to 7f next time and made it third time lucky when upped to a more suitable trip in a 1m7f Leopardstown maiden.

This will tell us where we really stand with A Dream To Share. If he wins a hot staying handicap off 103, connections could start thinking about big stakes races if a return to hurdling doesn't happen. 

McManus's racing manager Frank Berry said: "A Dream To Share is in great form and John [Kiely] is very happy with him, so we're looking forward to getting him going again."

Once again the oldest member of the Irish weighing room has got the call-up from McManus for a big ride in a staying handicap. 

Niall McCullagh gave Puturhandstogether a great ride to land the Irish Cesarewitch a fortnight ago and he was also on board the McManus-owned Drop The Anchor when he won this race in 2022. Brazil's win in the Guinness Handicap at the Galway festival in 2023 is another feather in the cap of the 56-year-old. 

Niall McCullagh: another big-race ride for JP McManusCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

On getting the call-up for A Dream To Share, McCullagh said: "I was flicking through the decs and couldn't believe it when I saw my name next to him. It was a lovely surprise. 

"I know he has a high enough mark but I'd rather be on him than against him, that's for sure. Even with 9st 13lb, he'll think he's running loose given the weights he used to carry. He's a proper horse and he beat Fact To File a few times during his bumper season. That tells you all you need to know about the ability he has."

McCullagh is still loving life and relishing days like this. "I'm 56, but I don't feel 56," the popular rider said. "At this stage of my career I'm going to enjoy getting the call-up for horses like A Dream To Share. When you get to ride a household name like him at my stage in life, it's brilliant. I can't wait."

Analysis: A Dream To Share the one to beat – but don't dismiss Jetara

This revolves around A Dream To Share. Some will argue an opening mark of 103 is ridiculously high given the runner-up in that Leopardstown summer maiden was a pretty exposed seven-year-old mare rated 86 – and he didn't exactly beat her with his head in his chest.

But, the flip side of that is the fact that we are dealing with a seriously talented bumper horse here, one of the most talented in recent memory who has beaten a long list of subsequent Grade 1 performers, including Fact To File. He oozed class back then and if he still retains the ability he showed in 2023, then a mark of 103 won't stop him. 

However, this is quite a spicy affair and Light As Air is a fascinating rival. 

He was talked up as a potential handicap blot by Aidan O'Brien before the Irish Champions Festival and he almost lived up to the hype, failing only by a head after being hampered ever so slightly by the winner on the run to the line. He has only gone up 2lb for that. He's dangerous off that mark, very dangerous. 

Jetara: another runner better known for her jumps exploitsCredit: Patrick McCann

So, too, is Jetara. The 146-rated hurdler is running off 90 here and had a pipe-opener at Listowel a fortnight ago. This has presumably been the aim all summer and she's a very talented mare for the likes of A Dream To Share to be giving weight away to. 

Joseph O'Brien has won the last two runnings with Comfort Zone (2024) and Prairie Dancer (2023) and it would be foolish to rule out last year's winner despite an 8lb higher mark. 

What they say 

Dermot Weld, trainer of Harbour Wind and Falcon Eight
Harbour Wind is a good, consistent horse but he has a lot of weight. He'll need a bit of luck. We've decided to put blinkers on him for the first time to help him concentrate. Falcon Eight has been a wonderful horse and was fourth in this race last year. He has an each-way chance.

Frank Berry, racing manager for JP McManus, owner of Comfort Zone and Filey Bay
Comfort Zone won this race last year and seems to like Naas. The ground will suit and he wasn't beaten too far in the Irish Cesarewitch last time. Filey Bay would need to come back to the form he showed when winning at Galway during the summer.

Jessica Harrington, trainer of Jetara
She ran a cracker at Listowel. She's in great form and looks reasonably well handicapped. It's a very competitive race, but I hope she will be there or thereabouts. The ground should be perfect for her.

Harry Rogers, trainer of Lord Erskine
He came out of the Irish Cesarewitch in great form. He just didn't get much luck but when the gap did open for him, he surprised me with how well he ran on. He hasn't had much luck in this race over the years, but he seems in good form at home. He has bounced out of the Curragh in great shape.

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