Dream Ahead handy winner at Newmarket

In a year of superlative performances by European 2-year-olds, not least the extraordinay victory of Frankel in last Saturday's Royal Lodge Stakes, Newmarket was the site of two more of the same on Friday as Dream Ahead and Hooray cruised to handy scores in a pair of six-furlong Group 1 contests.

Dream Ahead, a David Simcock-trained son of Diktat, put his foot to the pedal to win the $250,000 Middle Park Stakes by a widening nine lengths over Strong Suit. Already the 1 1/2-length winner of the Group 1 Prix Morny at Deauville on Aug. 22, he was sent off as the 5-4 favorite with the seemingly ever-present William Buick on board, covering the distance in 1:14.28 on soft ground.

Simcock will consider Dream Ahead for a clash with Frankel in the Dewhurst Stakes, should Frankel go in that Oct. 16 contest at Newmarket instead of the Racing Post Trophy a week later, but only if the going is soft.

Earlier, Cheveley Park Stud won the $250,000 Cheveley Park Stakes with the Mark Prescott-trained Hooray. Ridden by Seb Sanders, the Invincible Spirit filly led throughout as the 7-2 choice, defeating Rimth by 4 1/2 lengths. Adding to her victories in the Group 2 Lowther Stakes on the York turf and the Group 3 Sirenia Stakes on the Kempton Polytrack, Hooray was timed in 1:14.09 for the six furlongs on good to soft ground.