Big Bad Dream

Big Bad Dream : 2012 bay gelding
Owner : The Brave Lads Partnership

Pedigree

                                                                      Danehill
                                        Mountain High
                                                                      Hellenic
Big Bad Dream (IRE)
2012 bay gelding
                                                                      Blueprint
                                        Stay At Home
                                                                      Move Forward

The family

The unraced Stay at Home has bred 3 foals thus far, the only runner to date being Tyre Hill who has shown promise in being placed in bumpers and hurdles for David Dennis in the 2014-15 season.

The second dam, Move Forward, didn't show much in a few runs in bumpers and over hurdles but as a broodmare she has produced 4 winners all of whom showed at least fair form in National Hunt racing. Pick of the crop has been 4 time winning bumper/hurdler/chaser Move Over.

Further back in the family, you can find Irish Cesarewitch and Monksfield Hurdle winner Potato Merchant, and Stag Hill whose wins included the Listed Slaney Hurdle at Naas in the 90s.

About the sire

Mountain High (bay horse, born 2002) was unraced as a juvenile and made his debut finishing 3rd in Newmarket's Wood Ditton Stakes in the spring of his 3yr old career. Trained throughout by Michael Stoute, his best performance came in winning the 12f Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud as a 5yr old. The well-bred son of Danehill retired to The Beeches stud in 2008, where his fee has fluctuated between €2-3,000 and was switched to stand at Dunraven Stud in South Wales from 2016.

Mountain High's best progeny to date are triple hurdle winner Air Horse One (bred by Annan based Robert Robinson), Grade 2 placed and Lite Duties, a 4-time hurdles winner for Charles Byrnes.
His progeny progress well.

One for those quiz nights - he is the sire of useful hurdler Mountain Tunes who provided Tony McCoy with his 4,000th win when scoring at Towcester in November 2013.

Form Summary

Season 2020-21 outlook
Last season was of a similar ilk to previous years for Big Bad Dream. A couple of fine efforts over hurdles interspersed with seemingly non-staying runs over 3 miles (but our Assistant Trainer reckons that trip is worth another try), but no victories to his credit.

A fine-looking, workmanlike type of gelding Big Bad Dream has the size and scope of a promising chaser. With numerous placed efforts, he's not devoid of ability and will probably start off in a handicap hurdle this season then go chasing should he school well.
At distances around 2½ miles.......well, maybe one run at 3....either way suited by a sound surface, just not with any firm in it!

Previously....
If pushed, we'd have to admit that the 3 day August NH Store Sale at Tattersalls (Ireland) is just about our favourite sales venue. Without having to compete with the NH big spenders at the Doncaster, Goffs and Tattersalls Spring Store sales, there is normally upwards of 750 horses on offer, and between 50-60% of those suit our budget. Certainly Nicky Richards does seem to pick up at least one above average recruit each year!
And so it was in August 2015, that Callum and Donald spent an enjoyable time viewing prospective acquisitions at the right price. This Mountain High gelding was one of the horses bought that year.
Now Mountain High's did not seem to attract much interest in general from Irish trainers and point-to-point men, and this may be a hasty view as his oldest progeny were just 6 years old in 2015, when the sire was jettisoned from Ireland over to stand in Wales.

Anyway, once safely back in Hawick, we sent Big Bad Dream down the road to Tim Reed's yard in Northumberland to compete his education. He proved quite a nervy character so Tim kept him a bit longer than usual. However, once back Dodlands he soon settled and impressed us with his free moving action on the morning gallops.

Fast forward to the 2016-17 season and Big Bad Dream made his racecourse debut finishing 3rd in a well-contested bumper at Ayr in January 2017 but was probably slightly below par on his next appearance was in a bumper at Hexham a few months later, finishing 5th, so we finished his season early.
Just another couple of bumper runs the following season, the best being a 3rd place to two very good Irish raiders at Carlisle in March '18.

2018-19 and Big Bad Dream embarked on a hurdling career, his best form coming when a staying on 3rd over 2 miles at Kelso in December.

Season		win	2nd	3rd	4th	other
2016-17	NH Flat			1		1
2017-18	NH Flat		1	1
2018-19	Hurdles			2		1
2019-20	Hurdles		1	1	1	2
2020-21	Hurdles		1		1	3

Current Season Form

11 April 21 Kelso : 2m 6½f Handicap Hurdle (Class 4 0-115) OR 98 Good 11 ran (Billy Garritty(3)) - pulled up

Jumped right on occasions, always towards rear, ridden and reminder after 2nd, became detached and pulled up before 7th

Billy reported that Big Bad Dream was never travelling and seems to have fallen out of love with racing. He's as enthusiastic as ever in morning exercise, and sound of wind and limb but this was see a close on his racing career. We'll look for a good home for him.

9 March 21 Newcastle : 2m 4½f Nov Hdcp Hurdle (Class 5 0-100) OR 100 Good to Soft 16 ran (B Campbell (3)) - 11th (beaten 41¾l)

Close up till lost place halfway, soon ridden but no impression, behind from 2 out.

21 December 20 Musselburgh : 3m handicap hurdle (Class 5 0-105) OR 103 good to soft 15 ran (Mr C Wood (3)) - 13th (beaten 63l)

Chased leaders, pushed along and lost position 8th, well behind from 4 out

There's nowhere to hide really, this was a very disappointing effort from a hugely talented horse. We're left scratching our heads.......

6 December 20 Kelso : 2m 6½f Novices Handicap Hurdle (Class 4 0-105) OR 104 Soft 14 ran (C Nichol) - 5th (beaten 30l)

Never travelling with any fluency, not jump well, in leading group, hard driven after 3 out but no response .

Big Bad Dream finished second in this same race 12 months ago and it was one of his better performances. This wasn't....

7 November 20 Kelso : 2m 5f Handicap Hurdle (Class 4 0-105) OR 104 Good to Soft 12 ran (C Bewley) - 2nd (beaten 14l)

Soon chasing leaders, strongly ridden from last (usual 3 out), kept on but no chance with runaway winner.

Big Bad Dream is a stuffy sort who benefits from racing, so this was most pleasing effort. He is still a hard shift for his jockey and Callum Bewley deserves plaudits for keeping at the gelding during the final circuit. We hope he can progress from this.

Previous Season Form

14 March 20 Newcastle : 2m 4½f Novices Handicap Hurdle (Class 4 0-120) OR 102 Soft 7 ran (C Whillans) - 3rd (beaten 3¼l)

Held up, ran in snatches, headway 4 out to join leaders, outpaced 3 out, stayed on from last but not reach leaders.

Big Bad Dream sported first time blinkers here. Still a hard ride but Callum did manage to conjure a finishing effort from the talented gelding.

26 February 20 Musselburgh : 3m handicap hurdle (Class 4 0-120) OR 105 soft 11 ran (C Whillans (3)) - unseated rider

Held up, ridden along halfway, headway to chase leaders after 3 out, driven along but no imprerssion, weakening when mistake and UR last

He's a horse with considerable talent but not really showing it on the racecourse. Probably be tried in blinkers next time.

2 January 20 Ayr 3m ½f Handicap Hurdle (Class 4 0-110) OR 106 Soft 12 ran (C Whillans (3)) - 4th (beaten 30l)

Towards rear, steady headway 7th, ridden and outpaced after 4 out, not fluent 3 out, soon no impression

Big Bad Dream didn't travel as well as he had done in his two previous outings this season. He can be a lazy horse at home but we tend to put this down to the very tough conditions at Ayr.

8 December 19 Kelso : 2m 6½f Novices Handicap Hurdle (Class 4 0-105) OR 104 Soft 14 ran (C Whillans (3)) - 2nd (beaten 4l)

Held up, headway 4 out to chase leaders, every chance 2 out, stayed on but always held by winner.

A performance step up for Big Bad Dream as he ran his best race for us over hurdles so far. He didn't travel as smoothly this time as he had at Carlisle for a good deal of that race but was there with a chance 2 out. However, he failed to concede 21lb to an in-form horse in Skyhill.

3 November 19 Carlisle : 2m 1f Handicap Hurdle (Class 4 0-110) OR 107 soft 14 ran (C Whillans (3)) - 6th (beaten 21l)

Raced in mid div on outer, good progress to track leaders after 4 out, ridden 3 out and stayed on one pace.

Big Bad Dream surprised us a little by jumping so well out of testing ground. He's run well for a good part of this race and we hope he can become competitive when his race fitness improves..

14 March 19 Hexham : 2m novices' hurdle (Class 4) heavy 7 ran (C Nichol) - 3rd (beaten 37l)

Mistakes, chased clear leading pair to 4 out, outpaced next, rallied before 2 out, outpaced again between last 2, no impression from last

He'd been off the course for more than 3 months, and it seemed like back to square one with Big Bad Dream as he didn't build on his fine effort last time at Kelso. He didn't seem to like jumping out of this heavy ground and we'll look for less testing conditions next time.

9 December 18 Kelso : 2m NH Auction Maiden Hurdle (Class 4) Good to Soft 10 ran (C Whillans (3)) - 3rd (beaten 3½l)

Tracked leaders, ridden along approaching 4 out, chased leading 2 from 2 out, stayed on well after last.

Much more like it from Big Bad Dream. A bit careful at the first 2 or 3 but jumped well thereafter, and clearly appreciated the better ground. A trifle outpaced down the back straight but showed a great attitude in keeping on right to the line. He'll continue to improve for racing.

14 November 18 Ayr : 2m 4½f Maiden Hurdle (Class 4) Heavy 9 ran (C Whillans (3)) - 7th (beaten 50l)

Held up in touch on inner, effort after 4 out, weakened from next.

Hurdling debut and Big Bad Dream jumped well enough but was possibly unsuited by the heavy conditions. He's a stuffy sort at home and we've waited till after New Year with him in previous seasons, so he'll strip fitter next time - for sure!

25 March 18 Carlisle : 2m 1f NH Flat (Class 5) good to soft 11 ran (C Whillans (3)) - 3rd (beaten 2½l)

Held up on outer, headway to chase leaders 4f out, every chance final 2f, stayed on but always held by leading pair

We'd gone into this race hoping for a nice run, and maybe sneak a place but Big Bad Dream outperformed that wish running a close 3rd to 2 well touted rivals from across the Irish Sea. It was 9 lengths back to 4th and all told a fine end to his bumping career. A promising stayer for next season.

26 February 18 Ayr : 2m NH Flat (Class 5) heavy 3 ran (C Bewley (3)) - 2nd (beaten 4l)

Led, driven and headed over 2f out, rallied and hung left over 1f out, no chance with very easy winner final furlong

Big Bad Dream had missed a few intended engagements, mainly due to abandonments, so this was a belated seasonal debut. He acquitted himself well, showing to be in good heart although always held by the impressive winner Black Pirate.