West backing Dream to deliver in Achilles

With two previous Temple Stakes placings over course and distance, Live In The Dream will start a hot favourite in the Betfred Passionate About Sport Achilles Stakes at Haydock on Saturday.

The five-year-old was beaten by half a length by Kerdos on his seasonal debut late last month at the Merseyside venue, improving from his third in the same race 12 months earlier.

However, he will drop down in grade as he seeks a first return to the winner’s enclosure since impressively claiming the Nunthorpe Stakes last August.

Live In The Dream will have seven rivals for the Listed contest over five furlongs and trainer Adam West is confident he can build from his reappearance run.

“I would hope so (a strong showing). It’s a strong field and I’m counting on him coming on nicely from the Temple Stakes,” West said.

“He enjoys his racing, he should be a strip fitter for it and it will be nice to open the throttle up a bit more.”

One of the main challengers for top honours is the George Boughey-trained Believing.

The daughter of Mehmas came third in the Sprint Cup at Haydock in September before finishing down the field on Champions Day at Ascot and on her first start of 2024 in the Group One Chairman’s Sprint Prize in Hong Kong.

“Well it is an interesting one really, I think it is a very good entry from George,” said Harry Herbert of owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing.

“She ran two disappointing races on her last two starts, both of which have been on very soft ground and she just can’t handle that. So rather than just going to Royal Ascot blind, if you like, we need to see where we are with her.

“This is a proper sighter as to how the filly is, whether she is quick enough for five or whether we should be going back to six and by having horses like the favourite in the race, we should have a very good idea.

“I’m looking forward to watching her run. She’s a very smart filly and she’s much stronger, physically really progressed from three to four, so lets hope she can show her true colours on ground she hasn’t had for her last two runs.”

The Karl Burke-trained Korker, who finished sixth in last year’s renewal, is among the declared runners alongside stablemate Marshman.

Democracy Dilemma, second in the Epsom ‘Dash’ last week, goes for Robert Cowell, with Michael Dods’ Commanche Falls shouldering top weight after winning York’s Garrowby Stakes last September.

Pink Crystal makes her seasonal reappearance for William Haggas, while Adrian Nicholls’ Tees Spirit completes the line up with the trainer’s daughter, Mia, aboard.