Well we hope we “never” have to go through the emotional rollercoaster again that DAMBULLA put connections and punters through late on Friday afternoon with his length win as a $1.30 favourite in Race 8 at Canberra’s Thoroughbred Park racecourse.
Our Fastnet Rock half-brother to WHOBEGOTYOU played a trick on his Loyal Owners, Trainer Ciaron Maher and Jockey Billy Owen before winning with ease.
DAMBULLA in what is his first racing preparation, took his race career record to:
5 Start = 2 wins, 2 seconds & $47,715. He has won at 1600m and 2000m.
Placed to perfection in a 2000m Class 1 & Maiden Set Weights Plate race, on exposed form he deserved his short quote despite carrying 59.0kgs.
He opened at $1.55 and was strongly supported through betting firming to start at $1.30 on course and $1.20 on the tote.
Form students read the form and saw the speed map showing that he would lead without effort, on a day that was favouring on pace runners.
Instructions were simple enough to rider Billy Owen “go to the front, control the speed, kick off the turn and he should run away and win.”
To be fair that’s what ended up happening however there was a major speed hump that no one had envisaged.
Our horse just stopped running when 3 lengths in front at the 300m and within a few strides, some of the field went past him and he was a length back in fourth spot and looked to have zero chance of winning and was set to run closer to last than first !
However his rider Billy Owen didn’t panic despite now being a length away at the 250m mark and spotting those that passed him 2.0kgs and 2.5kgs.
Still as cool as can be, Billy waited until the 200m than gave DAMBULLA one around his tail and the horse pricked his ears and began to give chase, he hit the lead again fighting strongly at the 100m and went on to win under hands and heels by a widening 0.91 lengths with a further .96 length back to third spot.
We saw it – we didn’t know what to think except our initial thought bubble that a disaster had occurred and that he must have broken down. Then the exhilaration of seeing him rebound to fight hard and the relief of a win by a $1.30 favourite and these emotions swept over us all in the space just 15 seconds.
Dynamic Syndications boss Dean Watt has been syndicating and managing the racing careers of horses for 37 years and said he “had never seen anything like it”
DAMBULLA went from sprinting to almost stopping in just 5 strides and then picked himself up again and won with ease.
“Phew ! Job done – take the cash - move on !”
DAMBULLA was turned out looking a treat by the Ciaron Maher / David Eustace stables under the watchful eye of Annabel Neashman.
The horsemanship the stable has performed in taking this inexperienced horse in just his first prep and winning 2 races and being runner-up in 2 races from 5 runs is exceptional.
He has taken a bit of time to come to hand and after this race he still has a few tricks to iron out but he is bred to be good and his racetrack deeds have been terrific. He will continue to improve.
Congratulations to our Loyal Dynamic Owners who race DAMBULLA: Dynamic Syndications Racing, EST S Bellear, Mr H C Leung, Mr M J Kirwan, Mr J Filipowicz, Mr S L Goodger, Ms G E Cookson, Mr M D Needham, Mr M C Sumpter, Mrs I R Thomas, Mrs B J Dinon, Mr C McManus, Mrs S J Clements, Mr G Schulz, Mrs F N Fitzpatrick, Dynamic No 61, Mr M B Naughton, Mr P Lienesch
Dambulla from Dynamic Syndications on Vimeo.
REPLAY
This win became DYNAMIC SYNDICATIONS 602nd Race Win and our 5th Race Win for this new 2019-20 racing season.
It also continues the excellent strike rate we are developing with the Ciaron Maher / David Eustace Racing Stables.
Onwards and Upwards !