It wasn't quite the dream start Wesley Ward was hoping for with his first runners in Britain this season, as overnight rain at Doncaster made the going very testing for the first major turf meeting of the season.
Ante-post Brocklesby S. favourite Create A Dream (Oasis Dream {GB}), the filly Ward says has been exciting him since she first came into training, was scratched after two races had been run at the Yorkshire track, with jockeys returning to the weighing-room reporting the ground to be heavy, despite an official going change to soft, heavy in places. The Last Lion (Ire) (Choisir {Aus}) replaced her at the head of the betting and duly continued the fine run of Mark Johnston's juveniles so far this season to become his fourth 2-year-old winner of the campaign.
Ward's other entrant for the day, New Trier (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), drifted markedly in the betting throughout the morning for the five-furlong British Stallion Studs EBF Novice S. on Kempton's Polytrack and failed to impress on her debut. Slowly away from the stalls, she was never able to land a blow and came home last of the eight finishers. The winner, Stringybark Creek (GB) (Bushranger {Ire}) had finished second when unveiled Mar. 16 to the impressive Johnston runner Sutter County (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), and was the first half of a double on the day for Mick Channon, who also trains the Listed Cammidge Trophy winner Mobsta (Ire) (Bushranger {Ire}).
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