Wow – What a thrill to claim a $2 million race on Everest Day at Royal Randwick, as a major part of the world’s richest raceday on turf, as our brilliant sprinter I AM ME (5yo mare by I AM INVINCIBLE es MEFNOODA) broke the hearts of her peers in a sizzling display of speed.
I AM ME winning the 2023 Sydney Stakes Gr3 1200m ridden by James McDonald
Trained by Australia’s Number 1 Stable for Winners – CIARON MAHER RACING (Ciaron Maher & David Eustace) and ridden to perfection by Australia’s Number 1 jockey James McDonald, our Dynamic mare I AM ME proved herself too quick, too strong, too good under Weight-For-Age conditions on a Good 3 surface when winning the FEEL NEW - SYDNEY STAKES Group 3 1200m at Royal Randwick on 14 Oct.
A happy hoop! James shows his excitement for winning on I AM ME
The race was worth an incredible $2,000,000 with a First Prize Cheque of $1,155,000.
I AM ME ($6.00 into $4.80 fav) won by 0.67 length, defeating Airman (Hugh Bowman) ($6.50) with our stablemate Bella Nipotina (Craig Williams) ($4.20 out to $5.00) 1.45 lengths third.
I AM ME looked fabulous in the pre-race parade and raced accordingly.
Our speedster had resumed a little bit underdone when claiming victory in the Gr2 Missile Stakes over 1200m at Rosehill on the 5th August, as the Gr1 Manikato Stakes over 1200m at Moonee Valley on 28 August her primary target for this campaign.
In detailed discussion and forward thinking by Ciaron Maher and his team and Adam Watt from Dynamic Syndications, we knew two major aspects about our mare.
Firstly, she is brilliant on top of the ground; the drier the better.
Secondly, she is fabulous when fresh. Spacing her runs early I the preparation is the key.
Next, picking off early season Gr2 Black-Type appeared easiest if we were forward enough to win the Gr2 Missile which we achieved.
I AM ME Winning the Gr2 Missile Stakes 1200m at Rosehill with Tim Clark aboard
We then went to a tick over trial at Randwick 3 weeks later two weeks out from the Gr2 Sheraco on the 9th September.
Unfortunately, an awkward barrier draw with a couple of speedy squibs underneath her in that event who served it up to I AM ME throughout, the hectic early pace found her wanting the final 100m where she finished 6th but was just 2 lengths from the winner.
We have always believed she is a far better horse chasing than leading, so we barrier trialed her again on the 25th September with the sole intent of the trial was to follow another horse and stay with cover as long as possible and she trialed brilliantly defeating subsequent Gr2 Winner King’s Gambit.
We had to then make some hard decisions.
She would be cherry-ripe at her third and fourth runs for the preparation.
Did we run a week earlier on the 7th October in the Gr3 Nivison Stakes 1200m (4yo+ Mares) worth $140,000 to the winner or head to Melbourne for the Gr2 Gilgai Stakes (weather permitting) which would give her 3 weeks into the Gr1 Manikato on the 28th October? or ….. Do we go three weeks into the Sydney Stakes worth $2m with $1.15million to the winner and go 2 weeks into the Manikato?
Another option was do we run in the Sydney Stakes and then sidestep the Manikato and go three weeks into the Giga Kick 1300m with the huge prizemoney on offer?
There was no right or wrong answers, just options and opinions.
The biggest concern was to have one eye on the weather as we know how brilliantly she races on firm surfaces.
We had two bob each way when we nominated for both the Nivison and the Gilgai to have a look, however we thought the right race was always the Sydney Stakes.
When the nominations came out for the Nivison and the Gilgai, we were all at sixes and sevens, as we believed we could win either race. However, with rain forecast for Melbourne it made it easy to sidestep heading south, whilst the longer-range forecast for Sydney was dry weather.
We believed at Weight-For-Age of the Sydney Stakes, we would not entertain her being beaten, so with such a big prize cheque on offer we bit-the-bullet and went this way.
It has proved to be a masterstroke.
However collectively, all our hearts sank when the barrier draw for the Sydney Stakes was revealed. We had drawn barrier 13 of 18 with one of the two emergencies drawn underneath us.
However, when we dissected the race and speed map we were not as concerned. We anticipated that Coal Crusher would want to lead, and Airman would want to race handy. So, we ensured a tactic which was against our first desire which was to race with cover as we could not see off the map how we could find cover with the racing patterns of others drawn underneath us and if we tried to find it, we could be trapped 3 or 4 deep.
So, we elected to return to Plan B which is her natural race pattern to be positive and roll forward. We did not want to ask her to get there in a hurry like she did in the Sheraco. What we wanted was for James to allow her to work across under her own steam and let her come back underneath him and just tag the leader at its girth keeping out of traffic and ready to pounce.
James and his manager understood exactly what was required and by racetime, James McDonald was raring to go.
James came out to meet the Owners and Ciaron Maher and stated that "he wanted to ride the race like he had done on Nature Strip". Come out neutral and not ask for an effort until the 300m. James had done his homework with our intent in mind. Ciaron just reminded him not to push the go button early out of the barriers as she can over race if that happens.
The planets aligned and the rest is history.
As the gates crashed back, as anticipated, I AM ME flew the lids from barrier 12 and was a half length in front after two strides as then Coal Crusher (barrier 3) with Tyler Schiller aboard put the handlebars down and made his intent to lead known. Vilana (barrier 7) also pushed up to be equal with I AM ME who was out of barrier 12 settling in third spot after the first 25 metres. Its here that the jockeys earn their money as they jostle for position.
After the first 100m, the three horses Coal Crusher, Vilana and I Am Me continued to roll forward with longshot Greyworm pushing up from barrier 2 to cross to the paint and trail Coal Crusher one pair back. Whilst this was happening, James was smoking his pipe staying out wide and not bustling to come across but was only a half length behind Coal Crusher but was still 6-wide.
It was the next 50 metres that James earned his money. As the field negotiated the dog leg and thundered across onto the course proper, James gave I AM ME a little bit of rein and in 4 strides had worked across the face of the field to arrive at the girth of the leader Coal Crusher with Greyworm holding third spot the fence, and Vilana landing on our back in fourth spot.
At this point, runner-up Airman had received a beautiful trail by Hugh Bowman and had cover on the back of us.
Passing the 800m, the four in front had established their spots and with the first third of the race already over, Bowman pushed up to put Vilana into a pocket and tagged I Am Me in the running line, a half-length away following us.
Whilst all this was unfolding, Ciaron Maher Racing stablemate Bella Nipotina who had drawn wider than us, had elected to go back in the field, and had settled in second last spot.
From the 800m to the 600m the leaders took a breather and the field compacted which placed Airman at our hindquarter with James on I AM ME sitting a half-length off Tyler on Coal Crusher.
From the 600m to rounding the home turn and balancing for the run home not one competitor changed their positions as the pressure upfront was applied.
In a text book ride by James McDonald, he did what he said he would, and just waited patiently as Coal Crusher had taken the field to the 300m mark and James hadn’t pushed the go button.
Whilst Hugh Bowman had asked Airman for his effort and had moved up to a half-length off us. During this time, Bella Nipotina had moved to be the widest runner in the straight, with ten runners in front of her.
Bang! – the race was on.
Coal Crusher dug deep but was collared by I Am Me whilst Airman who had been a half-length back couldn’t match the natural speed of I Am Me and had slipped back to just short of a length away as the pair passed the furlong marker.
It was classic top-grade ridding by James and Hugh over the next 100m with both boys showing their exceptional horsemanship skills. Stride-by-stride they were flowing in unison, as their mounts strained all their muscle and sinew to respond to their riders urging.
However, despite his horse giving its all, Hugh could not conjure Airman to reel in the leader as James and I Am Me were poetry in motion.
I Am Me ($4.80F) had fought hard for the win with Airman ($6.50) refusing to go away.
With 100m remaining, Airman had nothing else to offer as our Dynamic mare repelled all and maintained her margin to the camera whilst Bella Nipotina was full of merit in gathering in the rest but was still 1.46 lengths away from us.
I AM ME returning to the Winner's Circle
Job Done!
Post-race Ciaron Maher was interviewed and spoke of the consistency of I Am Me and her stable companion Bella Nipotina.
Ciaron Maher & Dean Watt
“Both of them have been so consistent (I Am Me the winner and Bella Nipotina in 3rd),” said Maher.
“I Am Me just got on the chewy a little bit last start and overdid it.
“James (McDonald) said he was going to ride her like Nature Strip prior to the race, and he got it perfect. He got her relaxed, he got her out quickly, he got over (from an awkward barrier) nice.”
“We were just having a chat and I had to convince [jockey James McDonald] she was the right horse and that she was flying and to disregard her last run where she sort of overdid it a little bit,” Maher said.
“He summed it up perfect. He got her out quickly, but he didn’t ask her to be there.
“Their team (Dynamic) have done a great job. Dynamic Syndications are a massive supporter of our stable here in Sydney. Dean and Adam, and they've got a big supporter group; it’s fantastic.
“My team also, fantastic. To get this mare to relax, being so free last start, a great effort.
“Bella Nipotina, my god she must be the most genuine horse in the country."
Then James McDonald was interviewed and explained he was always assured his mare would give a strong kick and referenced her toughness throughout the race.
Teamwork makes the dream work!
“She hightailed it out of the stalls,” said McDonald.
“Got a nice spot pretty early too and I backed it off. She had to be tough, but fast.
“She had to be tough late because they felt like they were surging, but gee she stuck her head out and had a crack.”
“Credit to the second horse (Airman) because I knew he was there. I accelerated brilliantly and he was stuck to me like glue. I was cursing about the furlong, but I was pretty happy over the line.”
Hugh Bowman said about Airman: “I was very proud of him. He was a bit closer than we expected. But he was comfortable being there and challenged the winner at the 200m. All credit to the winner.”
Trophy Presentation
Adam Watt, George Rassos, Ciaron Maher, Dean Watt, Michael Joyce
CONGRATULATIONS to our Wonderful Team of DYNAMIC OWNERS that race this wonderful mare I AM ME: Dynamic Syndications Racing, Sheikh M B K Al Maktoum, Mrs J M Crooks, B Ramsey Family, Mr P J Woollett, Mr G Rassos, Mr R J Gall, Mr R G Dawkins, Mr A W Robertson, Mr A Cranes, Mr A Mitchell, Mrs M Joyce, Mr M G Joyce, Mr S B Troughton, Mr D P Lacey, Mr M J Millner, Mr S Finnigan, Mr A D Vella
Dean Watt & Adam Watt - Dynamic Syndications
I Am Me - Sydney Stakes 14.10.23 from Dynamic Syndications on Vimeo.
I AM ME has taken her overall record to 16 Starts: 9 Wins: 1 Second: 1 Third and Prizemoney of $1,796,850.
She is now a Winner of the Gr2 Missile Stakes, Gr3 Sydney Stakes and Listed Canterbury Sprint in Track-Record Time.
What’s next? We have options galore.
However, the main three are the Gr1 Manikato 1200m 28/10 or the $2m The Invitation (Fillies & Mares) 1400m 28/10, or on 4/11 the $3m Giga Kick Stakes 1300m.