Live In The Dream provided trainer Adam West and jockey Sean Kirrane with the biggest successes of their careers in the Aug. 25 Nunthorpe Stakes (G1).
Incredible! An Epsom-trained winner of the @coolmorestud Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes 🏆
Live In The Dream produces a huge career-best to land the G1 prize for @sb_kirrane & Adam West! pic.twitter.com/7ChbM1Jjt5
— York Racecourse (@yorkracecourse) August 25, 2023
The 28-1 shot denied last year’s heroine Highfield Princess with King’s Stand Stakes (G1) winner Bradsell in third.
Live In The Dream was fourth in listed company at Deauville at the beginning of the month and took a huge step forward from that run.
Neither trainer nor jockey had recorded victories at even so much as the listed level before, but they are now group 1 winners.
“I can’t believe it,” a stunned and emotional West told Racing TV. “This is amazing, everything happens for a reason. We didn’t get good luck at Deauville. We swerved America to come here and it looks like he’s going out there now with the ticket.
“This is a horse we’ve had so much fun with and so much faith in. He’s been with us since a yearling, what a journey. I never thought it was possible to win it.
“We were just so happy for six places, we were laughing and joking about the place betting and how skinny it was. I had nothing on! Money doesn’t matter, that is amazing, I’ve had a group 1 winner.”
🗣️”It’s a surreal feeling to be honest with you.”@sb_kirrane is on cloud nine after winning the Nunthorpe Stakes on Live In The Dream 👇 pic.twitter.com/QJA3lzgHCK
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 25, 2023
Live In The Dream had been due to run at Del Mar before costs prevented that trip, but success in the £533,750 group 1 on the Knavesmire means that the 4-year-old has earned a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) due to the Nunthorpe being a Breeders’ Cup Challenge: “Win and You’re In” race.
West confirmed that a tilt at the $1 million contest at Santa Anita Park Nov. 5 would be firmly on the agenda.
“We’re not wealthy, we’re not a big yard. Steve and Jolene (De’Lemos) are great owners but not the high tiers and it was just too expensive to go out there (to California).
“I think he’s 10 lbs. better on a turning track. That’s a big statement, but I do,” said West. “He gets that position and he can get a breather. On these straight courses he doesn’t get a breather but he’s just nicked enough today.”
Live In The Dream made all after breaking quickest from stall 4. The 7-5 favorite Highfield Princess got within a length of the winner and 9-2 shot Bradsell was a further three-quarters of a length behind.
The 2-year-old Big Evs , supplemented after his Molecomb Stakes (G3) success at Glorious Goodwood, was sent off a 5-1 chance to become the first juvenile to win the Nunthorpe since Kingsgate Native in 2007 but finished 14th of the 16 runners.
