AXIUS WIN Justifies Dynamic Belief in Ciaron Maher Trained Colt

08 Aug 24

“Go to the front and improve on your position.” Simple instructions carried out to perfection by jet pilot TIM CLARK for Australia’s Number 1 Stable for Winners – CIARON MAHER RACING.

On Wednesday at Canterbury, Dynamic Syndications 3yo Colt AXIUS (Justify ex Orontes by Redoute’s Choice) lined up in Race 2 the VICTOR LUDORUM @ DARLEY Handicap, a 1200m Maiden for Three-Years-Old and Upwards.

On paper it was a topflight field with price tags on some of these runners confirming it. A look across the formguide saw; Behaviour was a $1.6m yearling debutant, Motcombs was a $950,000 yearling debutant, Peschiera was a $700,000 yearling, Kickoira was a $650,000 yearling, Listentozou was a $350,000 yearling and Harry’s Bar was a $150,000 yearling.

However, one thing for certain is that racehorses don’t know how much you pay for them, so having a big wallet doesn’t guarantee success.

AXIUS was a $200,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Coolmore draft for Dynamic Syndications/Dean Watt Bloodstock/Ciaron Maher Racing.

AXIUS as a yearling

AXIUS is the first winner for Orontes, a Redoute’s Choice unraced three-quarter by to sister to Group 1 winner Takedown.

Team Dynamic have always held a strong opinion that AXIUS was well above average from the day we put a saddle on him, and we backed our judgement accordingly when buying the yearling half-sister to AXIUS by Pierro for $90,000 at the Inglis Classic in 2024.

ARANTU - new season 2yo 1/2 sister to AXIUS (by Pierro)

Dynamic Syndications colt AXIUS had been to the sport once before, three weeks earlier at Randwick’s Kensington track, where he was awesome on debut but did silly things and threw the race away over the final 150m when greenness saw him duck out in the straight and a runner came up his inside. It was more mature, had a one kilo pull in the weights, and experience, to claim victory. Interestingly, there was a $1.4m yearling in that field named Dawn Service who finished well back in third place, and it has subsequently come out and broken its maiden by 4 lengths at Hawkesbury.

For AXIUS, with that raceday experience under his belt, extra fitness in the legs, racecraft between the ears, plus another 100m in distance, he was always going to improve significantly between his first and second start. Whilst another key aspect appears to be with the progeny of the sire Justify, they improve sharply with the addition of some headgear to help them focus in races. So, we elected to put on a set of winkers, and they certainly assisted the other aspects, to create an equation that allowed AXIUS to produce a dominant display against his peers, and the clock, to claim his first victory at his second start.

AXIUS stopped the clock in a slick 1:11.01 which was just outside the class record which had been set on a summer Good 3 surface. Here we were on a winter Soft 5, and Tim Clark was on a colt that was so dominant, he was able to ease down over the final 50m and still won by an easy 2.29 lengths margin with the third placed runner 4.14 lengths behind us.

Despite being a bit of a “lazy boy” in trackwork, and still working it out regarding racecraft, when you saw our equine Adonis AXIUS parade in the ring prior to the race, there was only one horse you wanted to back and he won as handsomely as he looks.

The punting market didn’t miss him either. An early favourite when the markets opened, today he was backed in from $3.80 into $3.10 with 5 minutes to the jump time. Punters then also rallied with a flurry to back the Waller horse Behaviour, and it was crunched from $4.50 into $3.30 but then eased back out to $3.80 as they jumped away. However, then it was an avalanche on money late for AXIUS that was the talking point. He firmed in the last 90 seconds of betting from $3.10 into $2.15 on the TAB Fixed Price board and started $2.80 on the Tote.

AXIUS had drawn the carpark at acceptances in barrier 14 of 16 however with 7 scratchings came into barrier 9 of 9 as the gates crashed back.

Flying out, he was immediately in front and whilst eventual third placed Peschiera tried to hold a forward spot to keep us wide, it was futile, especially when AXIUS peeled off an incredibly quick 10.90 sectional between the 1000m and the 800m which spreadeagled the field and allowed our colt to get an easy lead where Tim was then able to get our colt to switch off in transit and clock some controlled splits.

Heading around the home turn and balancing for the run home with 300m to travel, the race was over as AXIUS booted clear hard up against the paint and with the rail to follow, Tim knew he had to keep our boy focused, after his first day at the sport when AXIUS threw the race away.

There was no chance of that happening here as our beautifully long striding, potential topflight prospect let down as he went through his gears.

Such was the dominance Tim looked at the big screen infield and saw he was holding a commanding break and going strongly, nothing was coming out of the ruck to give chase, so Tim sat up in the saddle and allowed AXIUS to save vital fuel and enjoy the winning experience going across the line in an easy gallop, stopping the clock in 1:11.10.

Job Done!

With laughter in his voice, the Sky Racing commentator Ben Way said “Wow, that race was over before a few of them even knew they were in one!”

“AXIUS at $3.00, closed a lot skinnier than on the TAB Fixed at $2.15. As for AXIUS, winkers first time, Tim Clark in the saddle, how many times have we seen Tim Clark jump and run like that, it was a very easy watch.”

Brad Gray from Sky Racing chimed-in: “If you took the short odds you were pretty happy with yourself halfway through, he got control, he found a lovely rhythm, and just got enough of a breather to give a good kick there, and was always going to win, it was just a matter of how far, when they were turning for home. He obviously took good benefit from that outing, the winkers went on and he executed and did everything right, so in behind, Harry’s Bar ran well, it was good to see Peschiera jump on terms and put herself right there in the race, and Behaviour still has got a little bit to learn, obviously he will come on from that, he was just a little bit lost in the middle stages, but I did like the way he worked through the line. But all about the Winner AXIUS, and the punters are on the money the best backed runner has got the cash.”

Ben Way added in by starting the interview with Ciaron Maher’s Sydney based assistant trainer Johann Gerard-Dubord by saying: “Absolutely, yes so into $2.15 fixed but the price held up on the tote by the looks of things, AXIUS, fantastic performance.

“Aussie Joh” as he is affectionately known replied: “Ah yes, it was obviously very good, very impressive. His first run was very good on the Kenso, it was a fairly strong race that day, and a bit of form came out of it, and he did it very tough for a first starter. He was still a bit new that day, so the race experience, put the winkers on him, find the front and yeah, he was just too good for them.”

Ben then said: “And ran out a very strong 1200m albeit a Canterbury 1200m.”

Joh responded: “Yeah and I think this horse, his size, he will want a bit further than this in time. He’s got a beautiful action, and when you are able to use it, you will see he’s there for a long way.

“It’s good to get another good winner for Dynamic, they are very good supporters, they are having a good time lately, and hopefully there is plenty more for their horse.”

Ally Mosely from Sky then took over to interview Tim Clark.

Ally started by saying: “And yet another handy son of Justify, gets the win there. I think it will be a strong form race, obviously we have seen a few that have been very impressive and this guy, is one of them, and it looked like Timmy couldn’t pull him up either. It’s taken him halfway around the back to get him back here as well. So, I dare say he was full of running, he ran out a strong 1200m.”

Ben Way then said: “He just pinged to the lead too. If you’re from gate 10 at Canterbury over 1200m you can’t really afford to be sluggish out.”

Ally then spoke to Tim. “Well done Timmy, he looks a very progressive type”

Tim replied: “Yeah, he ran fantastic on debut I thought, and he’s obviously learned a bit from that experience, and come on nicely, and I wasn’t too deterred by where he drew, it gave him a bit of time to cruise across and control the race and kick away and win well.”

Ally added: “Full of running through the 1200m and looks as well, it took you a while to pull him up”

Tim said: “Yeah definitely, he’s got a big action on him, and I am sure they are just sort of scratching the surface with him at the moment.”

Ally finished by saying: “He’s a cracking type and exciting going forward.”

Tim Clark then spoke with Adam Watt from Dynamic and the Co-Ownership Team that were on hand to welcome their horse back to the winner’s circle and said: “Yeah, he began well, and I stayed out wide a little bit to build his revs up. Got him into a rhythm and then I was able to work my way across to the rail, and I guess from that point onwards, the race was never in doubt. It was pretty plain sailing from there, and pretty painless. You know, he’s still a work I progress, and I am sure he’s still got a good bit of improvement to come. He’s still a bit wayward, but there is some nice ability there definitely, and he’s got plenty of upside for the future.”

AXIUS won the VICTOR LUDORUM @ DARLEY 1200m Maiden Handicap, picking up the first prize cheque of $48,000 + a BOBS Bonus and takes his resume to: 2 starts = 1:1:0    Prizemoney: $69,600
On a Soft 5 he ran a Time of: 1:11.10, Last 600m: 0:35.27
1st   8    AXIUS                  Ciaron Maher             Tim Clark                      9    57.5kg $2.8F
2nd 9    HARRY’S BAR    Paul Murray                Reece Jones     2.29L    6    57.0kg $13
3rd 13   PESCHIERA       M, J & W Hawkes        Tommy Berry 4.14L    8    55.5kg $8.5

CONGRATULATIONS to the DYNAMIC TEAM that Race AXIUS: Dynamic Ladies, Mr D W Watt, Mr A Turnbull, Mr J W Lyons, Mr G A Hoult, Mrs K Tew, Mr M P Bottcher, Mr M P Carroll, C J R Racing, Mr A Cranes, Mr S D Murray, Mr R Roberts, Mr D Coughtrey, Mr J R Carter, Mr A Mitchell, Bimbadeen Racing, Mr G J Cooper, Mr R J Gath, Mr G Rassos.

AXIUS became DYNAMIC SYNDICATIONS First Winner on the 7th Day of the New 2024/25 Racing Season.

AXIUS also recorded DYNAMIC SYNDICATIONS 891st Race Win at the start of our 20th Race Season and AXIUS has become our 305th Individual Race Winner from 344 Individual Runners = 88.7%

Onwards and Upwards!