DOMINANT SERENADE. 02 February 1989. Dominion-Sing Softly Owner-North Briton Racing Club.
Dominant Serenade was a flat bred horse who never managed to get his head in front in 20 attempts on the level, but when introduced to the Winter game, he achieved the success his breeding suggested. He was a half brother to the 106 rated Supreme Sound, who went on to be a successful sire of National Hunt horses, and also to Top Cees, a Cesarewitch, and Chester Cup winner.
Dominant Serenade started his racing career in the hands of Buckingham-shire trainer Peter Harris, where he would race a total of 12 times, five of them as a juvenile, in 1991, finishing third on two occasions, and earning a best Racing Post Rating of 70.
On his return at three, he raced a further seven times for Mr Harris, with a third at Warwick in April 1992, off a mark of 62, when beaten just a length, being his best effort.
Dominant Serenade arrived at Oakwood Stables in the Summer of 1992, and ran twice on the flat at Thirsk, and Catterick, over 12 furlongs, keeping on to be placed on both occasions, from a mark of only 49.He made his hurdles debut at Kelso in October, pulling very hard early on, but pleasingly staying on to finish second under Andy Orkney. He put that experience to good use, as 12 days later at Hexham he cruised home by 20 lengths under Peter Niven. The stable realised they had a serious horse on their hands, when just another 11 days later he won the Juvenile hurdle at Cheltenham,the yard also ran Liability Force in the race who finished forth.He was give a short break before returning at Ayr in January, to win for a fourth time in a row, giving away at least 14lb to all of the opposition, and winning at the very short odds of 2/9.He was allowed to take his chance in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham, but faded out of contention to finish 12th of the 25 runners, beaten 15 lengths.Two weeks later at Aintree in the Glenlivet he finished fifth, beaten just under six lengths, which was probably a true reflection of his form, at that stage of his career. Dominant Serenade made a return to the flat in April, from a very attractive looking mark of just 50, but in six attempts, he could only finish third at best.He was back over hurdles in November 1993, contesting good handicaps from marks in the 130's, with a second at Sandown in Heavy ground in February 1994 being the highlight.
After his Summer break he returned in October 1994, making his chase debut at Carlisle, where he stayed on in to third, having looked in need of the run.He fell on his next two chase attempts, and was returned to hurdles, where he showed he retained plenty of ability in finishing second to Cab On Target at Doncaster in March.He was back over fences at Carlisle in April, where he failed by a short head, but 16 days later at Hexham he broke his duck over fences, winning by three and a half lengths. At Redcar in May, on his return to the flat, he was third from a mark of only 40, and then on his return in August in a two runner race at Perth, over fences,he was beaten at odds of 1/5.
Dominant Serenade raced just twice more, he won at Cartmel, for his second success over fences, eight days after that surprise defeat, and ran for the very last time at Carlisle in September 1995, when finishing second under Peter Niven.
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