The JP McManus-owned gelding, who had won his only start in France, bounded up in his maiden hurdle debut for Willie Mullins at Fairyhouse on New Year’s Day of 2023 and was equally impressive in his chasing debut at Navan that same December. At this weekend’s Winter Million meeting, Indiana Dream, who has been off the track for more than a year and relocated across the Irish Sea, will be thrown in at the deep end. A J O’Neill, who coaches the seven-year-old alongside his father Jonjo, is approaching the situation as an opportunity to gather information. He hasn’t been with us for very long. We’re excited to see him on the track because he’s a huge, lovely horse with a very odd profile and finding out some more about him,” he told Sky Sports Racing.
“Even though we’ve only had him for a few months, it’s clear that he has experienced setbacks, which is what caused those racial discrepancies. I hope we can maintain a good relationship with him.He has been quite direct. With three runs and a starting score of 152, it’s difficult to know where to begin.We’ll see how he does. He won his chase really well, which is why he has the mark that he does.
With Johnnywho and Wreckless Eric both scheduled to run at the Thameside track on Friday, the O’Neill team will have a strong presence on the Winter Million cards at Windsor and Ascot. Careless Eric’s stable debut at Wincanton ended in a fall, but he has since won and finished second at Cheltenham, meaning hopes are high ahead of the £110,000 Fitzdares Sovereign Handicap Hurdle.
O’Neill went on: “We have a soft spot for him because he was unlucky at Wincanton and has been very consistent. It was great that he gave O’Neill Racing, a father-son partnership, its first Cheltenham winner.” It’s wonderful to have a horse that can compete in a competition like this, and the Megsons, the owners, have been extremely kind to us. We’re excited to watch how he does and it’s beautiful reward money.Although it is a highly competitive race, we would like to think he will be competitive.
