Dyonisos lands Doncaster sprint for Ian Williams, eyes Goodwood next

Dyonisos put himself right back into the Goodwood picture with a tidy win in the 15:10 Believe Money Group Handicap at Doncaster, where he travelled through a strong early pace and went clear to beat Emerald Harmony by three-quarters of a length. Paddy’s Day was third in the seven-runner Class 3 over 5f 3y on good to firm ground, and the race was run in 58.84 seconds.

Edward Greatrex settled Dyonisos toward the rear, kept him covered up and waited until the furlong pole to ask for the effort. Once the gap came, the gelding accelerated cleanly, wore his hood throughout, and led inside the final 110 yards. He had a poor UK debut at Goodwood on 31 July 2025 when he was unfavourably drawn, followed by a much better second at the same track on 22 May 2026.

This was Dyonisos’s first win since joining Ian Williams from France last July, and it came after a sequence that hinted the handicapper had finally given him a chance. He had arrived in Britain rated 95, had slipped to a mark of 84, and had already finished second at Newmarket on 14 April, seventh at Ripon on 25 April, second at Goodwood on 22 May and fifth at Hamilton on 25 June before breaking through at Doncaster. The horse, bought at the Arqana Summer Sale in 2025 and owned by Mrs Fitri Hay, had already won three times over sprint trips earlier in 2026.

Williams’s yard has operated at about a 21% strike-rate over the past fortnight and added another winner at Sandown. Williams said, “July is generally a good month for us, so hopefully this is the beginning of another great month.” Greatrex, riding Dyonisos for the first time, now has five winners from 11 rides at Doncaster this season, a record that includes Urban Lion’s Lincoln victory on the course’s opening day on 28 March 2026.