Rainbow Dreamer not quite ready for his pension book yet

February 1

Alan plans to be more positive with stable-star Edwardstone in the Grade 2 Game Spirit Chase next week – “we disappointed him when repeatedly taking him back over the two and a half miles at Kempton last time, and, consequently, he was too free. He’ll be reverting to two miles at Newbury, and judged on his recent work at home he seems very well,” reported Alan.

That well-worn motto, “make one mistake but ensure that you don’t make the same one the next time”, is in most trainer’s manuals, and, as with Edwardstone, Alan learned plenty from getting the tactics wrong with our popular veteran Rainbow Dreamer at Newcastle on New Year’s Day.

Rainbow Dreamer is out again at Kempton on Saturday in what will be his final race before he attempts to retain his All-Weather Marathon crown back at Gosforth Park on Good Friday.

Reflecting on that disappointing start to 2024, Alan said:”We thought that there would be lots of pace on. and Rainbow Dreamer was drawn wide so Hollie (Doyle) dropped him out in what was thought would be a strongly-run race. As it was, they just hacked around, which meant we ought to have been a lot closer to the pace, but he could never get into the race.

“He is now an 11-year-old, and he has been an absolute star for us, winning 13 races, and no doubt retirement is not too far away, However, he loves the all-weather, and, looking ahead, it would not be a bad place to take your farewell bow than Finals Day at Newcastle, but beforehand he’s off to Kempton this week-end and he should run a lot better.”