Street Of Dreams has eyes on Committee's Prize

Beaten into fourth spot in a Class 1 sprint on Jan 20 after having to take the scenic route home.

Second in the Group 3 Fortune Bowl on Feb 11 after having traffic problems in the home stretch.

Those are just two of the bumps Street Of Dreams faced at his most racing runs.

And that was after a lengthy break, having had his last race on May 20, when beaten out of sight by Lim’s Kosciuszko in the $1 million Group 1 Kranji Mile.

Yes, it has not been an easy road for Street Of Dreams – and the five-year-old deserves better.

Could all of that change when he lines up for the Group 3 Committee’s Prize on March 9?

Well, the signs are positive.

Street Of Dreams had a good trial on Feb 27 when second to Mr Black Back.

That day, when ridden by apprentice Sazali Ramli, he was beaten but not bruised.

Indeed, he clocked an impressive 59.98sec for the Polytrack 1,000m hit-out.

Not many gallopers go under the minute mark at these trials, so hats off to this son of Dundeel.

And, as if to show that it was not a flash in the pan, Ronnie Stewart brought Street Of Dreams out for a spot of work on March 5 and his mount did not put a hoof wrong when running the 600m in 36.9sec.

Already a six-time winner from 13 outings, Street Of Dreams will savour the 1,600m he has to cover in the $110,000 race coming up on March 9.

Indeed, it was around this time in 2023 – March 4 to be precise – that he scored his sixth straight success under Burridge.

That day, when partnered by Stewart, he came home from fifth at the 1,000m mark to put half a length between himself and Hongkong Great.

Street Of Dreams has not yet realised his full potential.

Indeed, there appears to be a lot more racing and winning in those legs of his.

With the preparation Burridge has put him through recently, he could have the Committee’s Prize at his mercy.

Well, a host of others might choose to disagree.

Like Dream Alliance and Invincible Tycoon, not forgetting Golden Monkey.

All three were also out on the training track on March 5 and they stretched out pretty impressively, too.

Dream Alliance clocked 41.2 for the 600m. Golden Monkey went a nick faster, clocking 41.1, while Invincible Tycoon blitzed them all in 38.4 for the short and sharp trip.

From Tim Fitzsimmons’ yard, Dream Alliance is closing in on $500,000 in career earnings and, like Street Of Dreams, he is just a five-year-old with plenty of racing left in him.

His last win was on Oct 14, when he beat Super Salute by a handy 1½ lengths over the 1,400m.

He will enjoy the extra 200m in the Committee’s Prize.

As for Golden Monkey, who is also a Fitzsimmons-trained runner, he will carry topweight.

The burden of expectation in the feature race coming up, he is a favourite among the rank and file at Kranji.

He gets pride of place in the “Prize” but the he will have carry 58.5kg on his back.

But, that said, he is a big chestnut who can carry punishing loads.

We saw him take the Fortune Bowl with 58kg and he had to hump 59kg when second by a neck to Silent Is Gold in a Class 1 1,200m sprint on Jan 20.

Golden Monkey is not fooling around. If brushed aside because of the weight he has to carry, he could make you pay for it.

Also prepared by Burridge, Invincible Tycoon has finished outside the top three in just five of his 16 starts and he looks the real deal in the Committee’s Prize.

Ryan Curatolo, who has been his regular partner in all his work and races in this 2024 season, was in the saddle for that latest training gallop and he would have had good things to report back to Burridge.

Although winless since Aug 27, when he took out a Class 1 race over the mile, Invincible Tycoon has been coming back into some kind of form.

He will appreciate the track and trip on March 9.

Outside of the feature event, keep an eye on Makin in the Class 3 event over the 1,600m.

He, too, had Curatolo in the saddle for his spin on the training track, catching the eye when running the 600m in 36.6.

An impressive winner on Feb 24, he has been given little time to rest on his laurels but it should not be a problem.

Makin is a galloper going places and he could make it a good day for Burridge and the yard.

brian@sph.com.sg