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2YO to continue syndicate’s Dare to Dream journey

A group of Dare to Dream owners are eagerly anticipating the June long weekend and the prospect of two new runners over successive days.

The Macdonald-Gluyas stable will unveil a pair of previously unraced Dare to Dream horses, including a juvenile that could sustain the stable’s current run of two-year-old winners.

Daily Spirit will debut at Morphettville Parks on Saturday in a $45,000 two-year-old event over 1000m, likely alongside stablemates Winning Weather and Another Award. A victory by any of the trio would secure a fourth consecutive Saturday two-year-old winner for the Macdonald-Gluyas yard.

On Sunday, the stable will unveil another runner for Dare to Dream, a TRSA initiative that gave competition winners a chance to experience racehorse ownership free for two years.

Four-year-old gelding Clanger will debut over 1396m in a maiden at Port Augusta and Harry Simmons, a member of the Dare to Dream Salmon syndicate, says the first-time owners are all “pumped” for the weekend.

“We’re really looking forward to watching Daily Spirit race on Saturday,” Harry said.

“We haven’t had a runner in a few months and Leon’s flying with two-year-olds at the minute. He’s had three different two-year-old winners in the past three weeks, so hopefully he makes it four from four.”

Harry said syndicate members were already buzzing about Saturday’s race.

“We’ve checked the noms and been discussing them, and we’ve discussed the field and how it’s a pretty good two-year-old race,” he said.

“Paddy Payne’s bringing one over that was a really nice last-start winner, but we’re confident we’re going to run well. Daily Spirit is in the same family as Ecumenical, by Zebedee, and Ecumenical ran really well over the carnival.”

Champion trainer Leon Macdonald said Daily Spirit – a grey filly – is “going along nicely”.

“She’ll probably need the run on Saturday, she wants a bit of education,” he said.

“But I’m sure she’ll run okay.”

Leon said picking the most talented of his current batch of two-year-olds was a difficult task.

“They’ve been going well,” he said.

“I’d say (Group 3 National Stakes winner) Extra Time or the one last Saturday, So You Can – he’s a good horse.”

Clanger is a son of Clangalang, who sired star Tasmanian stayer Geegees Blackflash, along with Master Chum, winner of this year’s Holdfast Insurance Birthday Cup (2043m) at Morphettville.

Leon said Sunday’s Port Augusta event suits Clanger for a first-up assignment.

“The reason for that is he’s a horse that wants ground,” he said.

“He’s a four-year-old that’s never raced, so running him at Port Augusta is probably going to be an easier race, to give him a chance.”

Meanwhile the Dare to Dream initiative has already rubbed off on Harry, who says all syndicate members are appreciating the regular communication from the stable.

“I’m really enjoying the experience of being in Dare to Dream,” he said.

“I recently purchased another horse as well, just because I’m enjoying it so much. Thanks to TRSA for setting it up – it’s a great initiative.”

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