Frankel’s equal as a juvenile, an historic winner of the July Cup and honoured with a bar at Newmarket - catching up with Dream Ahead

Not many horses get bars named after them, but then not many horses were able to achieve what Dream Ahead did during his two years on the racecourse.

As a juvenile, Dream Ahead flattened his rivals by nine lengths in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes to earn a rating of 126 that allowed him to share joint-champion juvenile honours in 2010 with Frankel, no less.

As a three-year-old, he saved his best performance for midsummer when scything through the July Cup field to land the prize under Hayley Turner, meaning he was the first horse to win a Group 1 outright in Britain for a female jockey.

The performance prompted Newmarket to name a bar after him at the July course, where racegoers were enjoying themselves in the sun this week. Ironically, that same sun is causing those now stewarding Dream Ahead’s career some aggravation.

Dream Ahead (far side) wins the July Cup in 2011Credit: Mark Cranham

“He’s a very easy horse to deal with, but the hard ground hasn't been in his progeny’s favour, which has been a bit frustrating,” said Mark Pennell, manager of Bearstone Stud, near Market Drayton, where Dream Ahead has stood for the last four seasons. 

“They tend to like a bit of cut, so there are plenty of nice two-year-olds lined up to run that can’t get out at the moment.”

Dream Ahead has covered “good books” at Bearstone Stud, according to Pennell, who highlighted a “lovely colt” named Evolve in training with Richard Fahey as an example of the juveniles with potential being stuck on the sidelines until some rain arrives.

Dream Ahead’s connection to Bearstone Stud extends beyond his role as a stallion for them, as he is also the sire of their best-performing racecourse runner in recent years, Glass Slippers. Trained by Kevin Ryan, Glass Slippers won three Group/Grade 1s, including the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

Her first foal, by Dubawi, is named Duballet, while Pennell said the mare had produced “a beautiful colt by Frankel” – giving them increased optimism about Dream Ahead’s potency as a broodmare sire as well. The now 17-year-old is already the damsire of 2023 Group 1 Fillies & Mares Stakes winner Poptronic.

Read more in the Where Are They Now series:

Unique Newcastle star Overturn 'a million dollars' at home with fellow Tim Leslie/Donald McCain stalwarts 

Royal Ascot sprint star Kingsgate Native 'living a wonderful life' after varied roles in retirement 

Horse of a lifetime Battaash looks a 'million dollars' as he enjoys every moment of retirement with Shadwell 

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