A winning tale of villagers’ prize racehorse

Simply and directly made, “Dark Horse” is a rousing documentary about Welsh villagers who chip in a modest sum to buy and train a racehorse, and find they have a winner on their hands.

How is it that a group of pub-goers can indulge in the sport of kings, what one of them calls an “exclusive, expensive hobby”?

Thirty of them formed a syndicate and contributed 10 pounds a week toward the breeding and upkeep of the animal they would name Dream Alliance, the offspring of a mare purchased for a mere 350 pounds.

The driving force behind the project was Jan Vokes, a part-time barmaid and cleaning woman who had experience breeding racing dogs and pigeons.

[...] Dream Alliance and his owners persevered, and he proved a dream come true when he won the prestigious Welsh National in 2009.

The syndicate members are an unself-conscious and appealing bunch of regular folks who are well aware that British racing, especially as one’s horse moves up in the ranks, is an arena of swells.

Note that this film should not be confused with the recently released drama “The Dark Horse,” about a Maori chess champion.