The horse named Dream Alliance was not a thoroughbred but still intriguing to behold. The director, Louise Osmond, pieced together clips and photos, did re-enactments and created the feeling of how everything unfolded. One can enjoy information about the horse’s training and the ultimate racing thrills. Dream Alliance was entered into steeplechase competition. I always find it harrowing to see the horses leap across the barriers when a fall could not only end a racing career but a life.

The film gives us the customary excitement of following an underdog, whether in racing or in any other sport. But here there is also the pleasure of meeting the folks responsible for Dream Alliance’s entry into the racing world. They are following their dream and taking a shot at success when the odds are against them, just as life’s odds are against them.

This is a working class story and Osmond’s documentary makes the most of the types we meet. Central is the feisty married woman Janet Vokes, who enjoyed raising pigeons and then decided to breed a race horse. The goal seemed totally fafr-fetched, but Janet was determined, and she organized a syndicate of locals who pitched in modestly with funds to get the project rolling.

The director picks up on the rich, local working class atmosphere and the characters who figure in the story. The comments are often as colorful as those who make them. Osmond could have made a much more elaborate film. But she sticks to the basics and respects her subjects.