With a new movie coming, Dream Alliance is being thrust into the spotlight again. A horse, bred and raised in a former mining village in Wales and owned by working class owners, somehow ended up winning the Welsh Grand National, and competing in some of the greatest steeplechases in the world. It was one of the most unlikely stories, the no name, underdog coming in and winning. How did it happen?
The Dream
Before Dream Alliance was born, it was just Janet Vokes, looking for fulfilment in her life. Her children were grown, she worked two jobs, and she felt like something was lacking. While working at the bar, she overheard a patron talking about a racing syndicate he had once run, and inspiration hit. Janet loved animals, and had previously raised dogs and pigeons, but had no experience with horses.
She asked him how to get started, and followed his instructions careful. After finding a cheap mare to bred, he realized she was serious and was convinced to help her with creating a new syndicate. By bringing in the local townspeople, their syndicate ultimately grew to 23 people, each contributing £10 a week. After forming, Janet found a stud in America with a $3,500 stud fee, but negotiated it down to $3,000, the highest syndicate could afford.
The Underdog
Horse racing has traditionally been dominated by rich owners. There’s a reason it has been nicknamed, “The Sport of Kings,” it requires a lot of money to play, and it’s incredibly risky. People spend thousands to millions on crafting the perfect racehorse, breeding the best to the best, and building elaborate farms to keep them in perfect environments, all with no guarantee of making their money back.
For a horse that was born on a slag heap, owned by ordinary people, to end up at some of the biggest races in the world, and winning them, was unthinkable. When Dream first appeared on the scene, he was a nobody, owned by nobodies, and not a horse to be taken seriously.
The Horse
Dream Alliance, born in 2001, spent his young life in Janet’s allotment (for us Americans, that’s part of a community garden), before being moved to a stable as a yearling.
At three, the syndicate decided they needed the very best trainer for Dream. They sought out trainer Phillip Hobbs, well known for being an excellent racehorse trainer. Luckily Hobbs did see something in Dream, and agreed to take him on. For a horse with such humble beginnings, this decision was surely what would directly result in his future success.
After a fourth, third, and second placing, he won his first race in January 2006 at Chepstow. After a slump, he began winning again at the Perth Gold Cup in April 2007.
In 2008, while racing in a preparatory race for the Grand National, he was injured so badly he was nearly put down. A horse in front of him knocked over a hurdle, and he scrambled, causing his rear hoof to slice through the front tendon.
Thanks to quick thinking on course, he was not put down, but instead transported to a vet hospital. The syndicate voted unanimously to spend $20,000 on a new stem cell treatment, although they were only promised he’d be able to have a comfortable retirement.
Instead, after 15 months of rehabilitation, he was able to race again. He won the 2009 Welsh National by three-quarters of a length.
Due to his humble background and miraculous recovery, Dream Alliance got a lot of media coverage going up to the 2010 Grand National. Unfortunately, he did not complete the race; his jockey pulled him up after the seventh fence. Afterward, he was found to have a lung condition that burst blood vessels and made him feel as though he was drowning.
He raced seven more times without placing. His syndicate decided it was time for retirement in 2012. Overall, he won £138,646.
Dream’s success can be attributed to the determination of the syndicate, combined with some luck. They wanted the best for him, they sought out how to make him successful, and they also cared deeply for him. The syndicate wasn’t experienced horse owners, but they did what they could with the resources they had. They weren’t afraid to dream too big. They dreamed all the way to the top, and Dream ended up there.
Dark Horse: The Incredible True Story of Dream Alliance – 2015 Documentary
Dream’s documentary, Dark Horse, illustrates exactly how unlikely it is that this horse would be successful. Seeing Alliance, standing in his tiny field behind houses, fenced in with chain link fence, puts it in perspective. This was not a horse that had any advantages. These were not owners accustomed to being on a racetrack. There was nothing in his humble background that would suggest a winning horse.
Dream Horse – 2020 Movie
The new movie is coming out in America on May 1, 2020, although the release date or method might end up being effected by our current situation. Other movies have been released online, so I’m actually hoping this one is as well.
The reviews seem mostly positive, although it sounds like there’s some dramatization in the movie that I saw no evidence of in real life (naturally, from being a movie I suppose).
Retirement
Dream Alliance’s retirement ended up being very similar to other racehorses – he is now someone’s fun horse! He has a facebook page that still updates with the latest on him, including photos and videos. He looks great, and his owners seem very happy with him. He goes on trail rides, to camps, and even schooled a little over fences. How incredible to have such an amazing racing career, and then continue on as someone’s recreation horse.
It looks like he did have some surgery recently, but hopefully he’ll feel better soon.
Janet Vokes formed a second syndicate and continued with a second racehorse. This time, members were being charged £15 a week. They purchased a new broodmare named Juwireya, who foaled on May 10, 2015. Sadly in 2017, a fire killed Impossible Dream, as well as seriously injuring his dam.
In 2019, Janet wrote the book Dream Horse: The Incredible True Story of Dream Alliance – the Allotment Horse who Became a Champion, putting the story of Dream Alliance into her own words.
Update April 29, 2023 – Dream Alliance Has Passed
In a statement on Facebook, it was announced that Dream Alliance has passed on. He spent the last 11 years enjoying a blissful retirement from racing, in a life that included trail rides, riding lessons, and loving care. Rest in peace, Dreamy.
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