Dream result to the Betfred Sprint Cup!

Dream Ahead (one from left) defeats Bated Breath (left) and Hoof It (right) in a dramatic finish to the Betfred Sprint Cup. Image courtesy of racingfotos.com.

Dream Ahead confirmed himself as Britain’s top sprinter when becoming the first horse to win two races in the QIPCO British Champions Series sprint division, adding this afternoon’s Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock Park to his Darley July Cup victory at Newmarket two months ago.

It was a repeat of the Darley July Cup one-two with Bated Breath in second place, but this was a much closer run affair, with Dream Ahead just a nose in front at the line and Hoof It just a head away in third in a pulsating, drama-packed finish.

It took several minutes before the result of the race was called, with many forecasting a dead-heat between the first two.

The drama did not end there, with a Stewards Enquiry called to look into interference in the closing stages.

Dream Ahead veered right and left after taking up the running and carried Hoof It left inside the final furlong.

The Stewards Enquiry left the placings unaltered, however, but Hoof It’s jockey, Graham Gibbons, felt that the interference cost his mount the race.

Dream Ahead’s reputation has now been redeemed after his dismal flop in France last month, when finishing only seventh in the Prix Maurice De Gheest, a performance which his trainer, David Simcock, is still unable to explain.

Winning jockey, William Buick, moves into third place in the Jockey of the Series table with three victories to his name, but still trails Tom Queally and Frankie Dettori by two winners.

David Simcock moves into sixth place on the trainers’ leaderboard which is dominated by Sir Henry Cecil and Mahmood Al Zarooni.

The first six home in the race (fourth was Genki, fifth Elzaam and sixth the Golden Jubilee Stakes winner, Society Rock) are all entered for the final race in the division, the QIPCO British Champions Sprint at Ascot on Saturday 15 October.

Simcock said: "It’s a massive relief as after France we were scratching our heads.

"We thought we had him great in France and we thought we had him great today.

"We rode him far more positively and he battled well and did everything well.

"It’s great for the horse to enhance his reputation and I probably won’t see another horse like him.

"It’s very special and this means as much as the July Cup, as we were bouncing back."