Dubai: Emirati businessman Khalifa Bin Dasmal, who owns the exciting two-year-old colt Dream Ahead, admits that today's Dubai Dewhurst Stakes (Group 1) at Newmarket racecourse will be powerful and nerve-wracking experience for him.
Dream Ahead, a dual Group One winner who is also undefeated in three starts, takes on red-hot favourite Frankel and some high quality opposition including Godolphin's Saamidd and Irish hope Roderic O'Connor, in a race that has shaped into the defining juvenile contest of the season.
Brimming with optimism, Bin Dasmal spoke to Gulf News from Newmarket yesterday: "It will certainly be full of emotions for me. I'm excited, nervous, impatient … you name it, I am experiencing all sorts of feelings.
"Dream Ahead is a very exciting horse. But he owes me nothing, he's done everything and more than we expected in such a short time. Whatever happens on Saturday will happen, we can't change that. I just hope he runs his race, we leave the rest to chance."
Bin Dasmal acquired the Diktat colt for £36,000 (Dh214,000) at the Doncaster Breeze-Up sale in April this year after studying video footage of the horse and consulting his racing manager Mark Crossman.
Stunning victory
The rest is history, Dream Ahead went on to win three races on the trot over the summer, including the Group One Middle Park stakes two weeks ago where he exhibited a phenomenal change in gears to record a nine-length victory over Strong Suit and Approve.
"The horse speaks for himself. He's got the ability and a great attitude. Horses like him don't come along every day," added Bin Dasmal, who is knows a thing or two about top class thoroughbreds having won the Epsom Derby in 1996 with Shaamit, a horse he not only owned but also bred as well.
"He's the best horse I've had since Shaamit, and Shaamit was special. Dream Ahead is still a baby but he's learning everyday, hopefully we haven't yet seen the best of him. He still has to grow up."
Bin Dasmal also acknowledges that today's race will be the biggest test for his horse, who is trained by David Simcock and will be ridden by red-hot jockey William Buick.
"There is a lot to fear in the race. Frankel looks a very good colt and so is the Godolphin's Saamidd," he said. "You can't overlook the others as well at this level of racing and considering they are still juveniles. Anything can happen.
"Horse racing is a game where you need luck, a lot of it. I've only had a few horses but they all have done well. I must confess to being lucky with horses."
Can Dream Ahead continue his good fortune today.
