“Go JOHNNY Go Go Go, Johnny B Goode” were the lyrics Chuck Berry sung in 1958 and they were the thoughts of the Co-Owners of our ANNABEL NEASHAM trained 3yo gelding JOHNNY DASH who recorded BACK-TO-BACK wins for our ownership team on Saturday when WINNING race 2 at Goulburn.
JOHNNY DASH (inside) in a dead-heat with Blood River
JOHNNY DASH is our 3yo Brown Gelding (by I AM INVINCIBLE from DASHOFF) was purchased recently by Dynamic Syndications at the Magic Millions Online Sale as part of the TFI (Aquis) dispersal sale.
He was trained by ANNABEL NEASHAM leading up to the sale, and we communicated with Annabel to identify the range of ability and future of the horse. Annabel was keen to see the horse return if we purchased him. She was convinced he had wins in him, however his early preparation was not ideal when as a Colt he acted as an Alpha male and was intractable and stubborn. His owners gelded him but as a gelding he became surplus to their needs as they only race stallion prospects.
Dynamic Syndications purchased the 3yo for $40,000 and we returned him to Annabel’s stable.
JOHNNY DASH has now raced twice for his new team of loyal Dynamic Owners having recorded two (2) WINS.
JOHNNY DASH (Andrew Adkins) winning Maiden at Bathurst
He won first-up when we took him away for a soft “kill” at Bathurst. He did the job well, but the form out of the race has been superb, with the runner-up and third horse both winning since and now JOHNNY DASH has won again.
JOHNNY DASH & ADRIAN LAYT Returning to the Winner's Circle
However, this WIN on Saturday at Goulburn wasn’t all plain sailing, as JOHNNY DASH (57.0kgs) ($3.0 fav) had been clearly headed by Blood River (56.0kgs) ($3.70 2nd fav) at the 200m marker and he fought back like a caged lion in a tremendous dual.
As the photo was taken, it looked on the angle we were watching, that he had won by a nose, but the heads were out of sync, and it was a lot closer than that.
In fact, the judge couldn’t separate JOHNNY DASH and his rival Blood River who had received the pull in the weights and the dead-heat result was semaphored.
Naturally, we were surprised that it was called a dead-heat from what we saw, but elated that our horse had not been defeated.
JOHNNY DASH took his career record to 6 Starts: 2 Wins; 1 Second, 1 Third and $42,200 in earnings.
He has banked $30,700 in these two wins for our ownership team, so he is now a very cheap racehorse.
It is never ideal in racing for any horse to go: (a) up in class, (b) up in weight and (c) up in distance and traditionally, it’s very difficult for horses don’t go back-to-back out of Maiden grade, but JOHNNY DASH did exactly that, which gave his owners a tremendous thrill and their second photo for the wall.
Ridden by pilot Adrian Layt for Annabel Neasham, the field of 8 was reduced to 6 runners at scratching time, so the race was going to be a tactical contest. Our plan was to go to the front and bowl along in a genuine clip and get those chasing off the bit and his superior class and fitness would endure.
JOHNNY DASH in the pre-race parade
JOHNNY DASH on his way to the barriers
As the gates crashed back, Adrian allowed JOHNNY DASH to move across and hold the fence but did so in a leisurely tempo. Then rival Blood River who was first up from a spell, came across to eyeball us. It got a bit messy from here. Adrian attempted to hold up the field and make it into a sit and sprint affair.
That doesn’t really suit our boy who only has a short sprint then grinds away suggesting he is looking for at least 7 furlongs or more.
Also, by holding up, it compacts the field closer and doesn’t take the peers out of their comfort zone.
So as the field turned for the run home, only 4 lengths separated them.
Turning into the straight both riders on the leading duo went for home. There was nothing between JOHNNY DASH and Blood River, but Blood River had a 1.0kgs pull in the weights which is equivalent to approximately three-quarters of a length.
Passing the 200m, both riders were fully urging their mounts along, and Blood River threw down the gauntlet and stuck its head in front.
JOHNNY DASH rallied back strongly giving stride by stride to his rider’s demands. Fighting hard, JOHNNY DASH had pulled back the margin and in the shadows of the post was clearly in front. However, the combatant’s heads were out of sync, and Blood River made a last gasp dive as JOHNNY DASH’s head was coming up.
As the camera clicked in Race 2, the Radio Goulburn Class 1 1200m Handicap, it was a Dead-Heat with a 0.96 length back to Khaleej (52.5kgs) in third spot.
Phew! That was close but we had achieved another victory.
CONGRATULATIONS to our Top Team of Dynamic Owners that Own and Race JOHNNY DASH:
Mrs B K Bennell, Mr S J Koukoulas, Mr S D Murray, Mr T M Barclay, Mr M J Williams, Horsepower Racing, Mr D Gorkic, Mr B W Wheatley, Laughing all the Way, Mr M A Cowley, R Turner, B Lynch, Kiwi Hunter No. 2, Mr B J Walton, L J Brereton, D Robinson, Mr W J Noonan, Stolk Racing, Mr R Geraghty, Mr P J McGuire
Johnny Dash 5.11.22 from Dynamic Syndications on Vimeo.
This win by JOHNNY DASH was one of 3 Race Wins on the Day for Team Dynamic.
JOHNNY DASH was joined later in the day by HARD TO SAY winning in record time at Wyong, then I AM ME won in record time at Rosehill.
This win by JOHNNY DASH was our 14th Race Win for this season and achieved our 784th Race Win Overall.
Onwards and Upwards!