ON Saturday last, Seeking My Dream made a lot of people happy. Among them his groom Linval ‘Pickins’ McFarlane.

McFarlane, who has been working with champion trainer Wayne DaCosta for over 30 years, says it was the long hours of hard work coupled with his understanding of horses which made the victory of Seeking My Dream possible in the Jamaica Derby.

“I am happy, I feel great. It is just a wonderful feeling, it’s magical. It is my second Derby win since I have been in racing from around 1972. I won with War Zone in 1996, but this victory by Seeking My Dream means a lot to me,” the 57-year-old McFarlane, a member of racing’s Hall of Fame, told the Complete Racing Guide.

McFarlane said that he was always confident about the chances of his horse going into the Derby despite the presence of his classy stable companion Ali Baba – the favourite in the race.

“He was well prepared for the race. The Derby is a very special race and I want my horse to be ready for it.

“So when Omar Walker rode him to a second-place finish in the Governor’s Cup, he came back and told me and the trainer that he didn’t know how he lost the race, but when he came in the straight and heard the noise from the crowd, Seeking My Dream was swerving a bit. After consultation with the trainer (Wayne DaCosta) we decided to cork his ears and from there on he has been working well, so I was confident that he would win. He came on as a late foal and developed very quickly,” he explained.

McFarlane said that Seeking My Dream’s next assignment will be the Jamaica St Leger on July 4.

“The focus now is on winning the St Leger. If we are victorious in the St Leger, then we are going to think about the Superstakes. I have never won a Superstakes, the trainer has never won a Superstakes, and the owner never won it either. So my hope for Seeking My Dream right now is very high,” he ended.

–Ruddy Allen