Racing: Rising star breaks mould

Western Dream doesn't exactly fit the mould of a typical unbeaten filly leading into a group one juvenile race.

Indeed, at the start of this year Western Dream looked likely to be in a paddock by this time of the season.

Sure, the big daughter of Badlands Hanover had shown considerable ability at the trials, but in 2-year-old racing, talent often takes a second place to precociousness, something Western Dream lacks.

By now she should have been doing little more than eating voraciously to fill out her ample frame. Western Dream herself, however, had other plans.

"I've had reservations all season about whether we should really be racing her this season," said her breeder and owner Vin Devery. "She's such a big filly and a big strider that she's not the type of horse that's supposed to be a good 2-year-old.

"A few months ago I really would have expected her to be in a paddock by this time but I left it to her to answer those questions."

It would seem those answers have been emphatic, as tonight Western Dream will be looking for six straight wins when she contests the group one Magness Benrow Sires Stakes Fillies Championship at Alexandra Park.

The Fillies Championship is a race that Devery has already had success in, winning the 1994 running with Dreamy Atom, the dam of Western Dream.

Devery also raced Honkin Vision, a superstar juvenile of the late 1980s who won more than quarter of a million dollars in his 2-year-old season. While he is understandably reluctant to put Western Dream in the league of Honkin Vision at this stage, Devery does believe Western Dream compares favourably to her mother.

"She still has to prove it by winning the Sires Stakes Races that Dreamy Atom won at both two and three, but the potential is there for her to be better. I'd like to think she'll be a very good 3-year-old."

Devery trained Western Dream to win her first four starts in the South Island before transferring her to Tony Herlihy's stable. At her last start she beat many of tonight's rivals when having her first run at Alexandra Park.

On that occasion she sat last from a second-line draw, before moving outside the leader with a lap to go. Despite those exertions she still coasted home under only minimal urgings.

"She's done well since that last run," said Devery. "If she goes well on Friday then we'll consider the Caduceus and that would be her last race for the season. We won't be taking her to Australia this season."

Tonight Western Dream won't have to contend with the second-line draw she had at her last start and will run a short-priced favourite.

Of her main opposition, Lifeswhatyoumakeit is clearly talented but has been beaten by Western Dream both times they've met, and Gretamaro, the most experienced horse in the field, has to cope with barrier eight.

TAB bookmakers opened Western Dream at $2.25 but without a great deal of confidence.

Given her dominance at every start so far it would be no surprise to see Western Dream start at odds-on come race start time.

Sires Stakes

* Fillies Championships Western Dream will likely be a short-priced favourite for the $100,000 group one juvenile feature tonight.

* The big strider is unbeaten in five starts, and won at her only outing at Alexandra Park.

* Her mother, Dreamy Atom, won this race in 1994.