By Daithi Harvey
The Mark Johnston trained Dark Vision (Ire) (Dream Ahead) looks increasingly likely to take up his engagement in the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. at The Curragh in two weeks time. The unbeaten winner of the G2 Qatar Vintage S. at Goodwood was subsequently purchased by Godolphin and team Johnston's first preference is to run at The Curragh rather than take up an entry in the G2 Champagne S. at Doncaster the previous day. “We would like to go to the National Stakes and we certainly think it is the race he warrants going to,” Johnston's son Charlie said. “It is just a case of getting the green light from his new connections. As far as we are concerned, this horse has won a Group Two and although he has an entry in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster there is no real desire to go for another one and try and give a penalty away,” he added. Assuming he goes to The Curragh on Irish Champions Weekend it will be six weeks since Dark Vision has run and Johnston reports everything to have gone smoothly since Goodwood. “We knew there was nothing in the immediate future for him after Goodwood so we gave him an easy couple of weeks but he is back cantering now for a while and he is in good order. It was a great sale for the previous owners and he has stayed in the yard so it has worked out perfectly for everyone,” he said.
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