Jessies Dream
Jessies Dream is a 14/1 outsider to win the Centenary Novices Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. The Gordon Elliott horse could be one of the biggest outside winners at the festival with an impressive career to date.
The eight-year-old chestnut Gelding has already raced 11 times with five wins, two second place finishes and a third place finish leaving the horse with a career win rate of 45.45 per cent.
Career of Jessies Dream
The career of Jessies Dream got off to an impressive start on February 20 2008. A 16 furlong race at Punchestown produced a fourth place finish and enabled the racing world to see what Jessies Dream was all about.
The first win in the career of Jessies Dream did not come until the horse's third race in January 2009, the first race where Willie Mullins trained the horse. Jessies Dream sat in the leading pack for the entire 19 furlongs at Newbridge before holding off Byrnes Cross to win by just under two lengths.
The career of Jessies Dream looked good and two further wins followed in February and April under trainer Mullins. However, the shape of Jessies Dream dipped soon after Elliott acquired the horse from the Mullins stables. The biggest dip in the career of Jessies Dream came at the start of 2009 when a third and seventh place finish came over long races at Leopardstown and Punchestown.
Recent Form of Jessies Dream
The recent form of Jessies Dream has been very good because Elliott has spent a lot of time working with the horse and developing a familiar style since the dip in the career of Jessies Dream at the start of 2009.
Jessies Dream won twice towards the back end of 2010 over 20 furlongs at Galway and 24 furlongs at Fairyhouse. Both wins were by solid margins and Jessies Dream looked in superb physical condition.
Jessies Dream's only race in 2011 produced a second place finish on January 9 over 21 furlongs at Leopardstown. Although Jessies Dream was the odds on favourite for this race, jockey Timmy Murphy looked relaxed for the entire race and it was a unique performance from Magnanimity that caused the second place.
Racing Style of Jessies Dream
The racing style of Jessies Dream is similar to a lot of horses that are experienced with middle to long distance races. Jessies Dream is not a front running horse but doesn't have a big enough finish to sit at the back for a whole race.
Sit-in is the best racing style of Jessies Dream. The natural attitude and enthusiasm of the horse is very positive. This allows Jessies Dream to sit just inside the leading pack because the horse seems to enjoy nothing more than going for a good run with other horses.
The racing style of Jessies Dream has meant a regular jockey has been needed for most of the horse's career. Timmy Murphy is the current stable jockey and seems familiar with the racing style of Jessies Dream making the horse a popular Cheltenham Free Bets selection amongst punters.