A FILM depicting the true fairytale of champion racehorse Dream Alliance - born and bred on a Blackwood allotment - had its Welsh premiere yesterday.

Crowds lined the red carpet at the Maxime Cinema in Blackwood to watch the documentary starring Cefn Fforest's Jan and Brian Vokes.

The story began when Mrs Vokes - a barmaid who kept pigeons and whippets on her allotment in the area but had no experience of horseracing - decided to invest in a stallion past his best for £300. She convinced nine people who met in the local working men’s club where Mrs Vokes worked – including a plasterer, a garage owner, a taxi driver and an accountant – to pay £10 a week as part of a syndicate to pay for his upkeep.

Contrary to expectations, Dream ran well at several races and despite a near-fatal fall went on to recover and win the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow as a 20-1 outsider in 2009.

Dream Alliance, who is now 13 years old and has retired from competitive racing, was used to portray himself in the film.

Speaking before the screening, Mrs Vokes said: "We're a little bit nervous but really excited. It's overwhelming that a hobby we enjoy has caught so many people's hearts. It's surreal.

"Nothing has changed, I still work in Asda and Blackwood Comprehensive School. We're a lot richer in memories, but not in money."

With another foal due in two weeks, Mrs Vokes says she's hoping the new arrival will also be good enough to go racing and wants to master the Cheltenham Festival this time.

Her husband Mr Vokes said: "When I watched Dream race I was jumping up and down! When he went to the Hennessy Gold Cup he finished second."

He added: "We never dreamed we'd get this far."

Syndicate member Hywel Davies said: "I saw him take his first Bambi-like steps. When I saw him for the first time I was astonished. He looked special. His mum had two white socks and his dad had two white socks and they passed on the four perfect socks to Dream that matched his blaze down his forehead. Unbelievable.

"Dream has entered folklore as far as we're concerned. It's religious - a horse was born under a star in Cefn Fforest in a ramshackle stable."

The documentary is directed by Louise Osmond and is her fifth theatrical documentary with her first being the award-winning Deep Water in 2006.

After the premiere, key characters from the film were joined on stage by director Louise Osmond and producer Judith Dawson, to answer questions from the audience and panel host Lisa Rogers.

Other special guests expected were Welsh rugby greats JPR Williams and Martyn Williams, singer and actress Sophie Evans, and Dirty Sanchez’s Matthew Pritchard.

The award winning film will go on general release from April 17.