The film’s ending, and what happened to the real Dream Alliance. (Read my three-star review here.)
In Dream Alliance’s initial races he gradually moves up the finishers, as Jan collects newspaper articles and owners’ badges from each race meeting. Eventually he comes first in the King Edward Challenge Cup at Newbury, winning £26,250.
Before one of the races Howard leaves his owners’ badge — which gets them into the owners and trainers hospitality areas at the race tracks — at home by mistake, and it is found by his wife Angela, who has had no idea he is in a new syndicate. When he gets home she is devastated as they nearly lost their house iast time and had to use the children’s university savings to pay the mortgage arrears. He promises he hasn’t taken on too much.
There is conflict when Peter Davison’s racehorse owner asks to buy Dream Alliance. Jan says he is not for sale and some of the other syndicate members grumble that it’s not up to her — they all own equal shares in the horse.
Howard is fed up of his job helping rich people avoid paying tax, and walks out.
At Aintree, Dream Alliance falls and just avoids being euthanised. After new stem cell treatments on the horse’s tendon his trainer declares him able to race again. Jan is fearful but Brian convinces her, and Dream Alliance is entered in the Welsh National.
On the day of the race most of the syndicate travel to the racecourse, though the elderly Kerby can’t afford it and instead stays in the town and bets on Dream to win, along with most of its other residents — who go on to watch the race in the betting shop, the social club and the Co-op where Jan works. Howard’s wife and children come along to the race too, all dressed up. The horse wins the Cup, and everyone returns home to a rapturous reception. Howard has earlier had a moment alone at the racecourse, thinking of his dad whose own dreams were suppressed.
The film ends with this victory. In reality, Dream Alliance carried on racing though he never won again, and, as we are told in the end title cards, was retired to leafy Somerset in 2012. During his racing career he won £137,000 in prize money and each syndicate member, after costs had been deducted, received £1430.
The end title cards include photos of the people the film is based on. The real Jan, Howard and Brian have had a new foal in 2019, and are hoping to replicate their earlier success.
The film ends with the cast singing Delilah, the song made famous by Welsh superstar Tom Jones.