The CIARON MAHER & DAVIDE EUSTACE Team have delivered Dynamic Syndications yet another winner for the year when our 3yo Filly PIGGYBACK (by TRAPEZE ARTIST ex WOWEE) was too good for her peers when facing the starter for the first time over 1200m at Gosford on Friday.
This script had more twists and turns than an Agatha Christie novel, but when the dust settled, our debutant had posted a determined victory under our rider Ash Morgan.
PIGGYBACK won the SCONE EQUINE HOSPITAL MAIDEN PLATE (1200m) at Gosford in a Time: 1:12.63 with a Last 600m: 0:34.72.
PIGGYBACK (3yo F)(55.5kgs) ($1.75) defeated Subarctic (4yo g) (59.0kgs) ($2.35) by 0.76 length with 7.33 lengths back in distant third was Time To Turn (3yo g) (57.5kgs) ($8.50).
This Friday meeting was scheduled for Scone Racecourse but was transferred to Gosford after predicted 40-degree heat was considered a risk.
Originally eleven acceptors for this 1400m event, there was an issue, as Gosford does not have a 1400m distance race at their track, so the distance was reduced to 1200m which just didn’t suit our filly on debut.
Originally the make-up of this field had many horses requiring a minimum of 1400m or further just to wind-up. There were no sprinters on form or pedigree lining up to compete.
We had also accepted with PIGGYBACK as an insurance policy at Orange for the following Monday over 1410m. We knew Scone was going to be as hot as an oven on the Friday, and Orange was not going to be much better with forecasts having temperatures in the mid-thirties.
PIGGYBACK is out of the mare WOWEE (by Choisir ex Zeal by Zabeel). She won 3 races, 1600m, 1959m and 2500m, including the South Australia Fillies Classic Gr.3 at the 2500m trip. Whilst the sire TRAPEZE ARTIST was Champion 3yo, he won 7 races out to 1400m.
Our filly has a more classical thoroughbred shape. She is leggy and stands over ground, a typical miler to 2000m frame, and in early training, she has given the stable every indication that she would run well but will be best suited as a racehorse when the trip gets to a minimum of 1600m and be better again at 2000m.
So using the information we had available to us at the time being; the change of Friday's venue to Gosford and Orange predicted for baking conditions, even though 1200m was just totally unsuitable, we considered that Gosford at 1200m for her debut to the sport, was going to be kinder for the filly than the long trip out west in the back of a hot truck, the hard race, then the long trip home.
We elected the 1200m race knowing we had so much more upside for her next start where the foundation had been laid. We were concerned that our tall and leggy filly may struggle around the two tighter turns and short home straight of Gosford, but the overall experience would be beneficial.
We advised connections that our plan was to head to Gosford. Then on Friday morning, it appears that as a result of the distance change, seven (7) of the eleven (11) horse field were scratched by their stables, leaving just four (4) runners to face the starter.
PIGGYBACK was the only debutant in the four-horse field, whilst of the three remaining runners, 4yo gelding Subarctic had been placed 3-times at the provincials whilst 3yo gelding Time To Turn had fitness as this was his seventh race for the preparation and had run 4th at his previous start at Scone. Whilst 3yo filly Singbythesea ($31) was unplaced in 2 starts but was fitter here 3rd up for the preparation.
We knew we had a task in front of us on debut, giving away distance, experience, fitness and racecraft. We knew she had ability on what she had shown in training, but PIGGYBACK is not ready yet, although the experience would be positive.
However, by 7:30am the assignment had been made a lot easier with the sheer number of scratchings.
We now were heading to the sport hopeful of a good outcome, and that despite all the negatives she was facing, her pedigree, class and potential would carry the day, and it did.
Four horse races are all about tactics as they are never run truly, as jockeys try to out-think their fellow riders and trainers tactics can become muddled and wrong instructions given.
This is where Ash Morgan is such an advantage to Team Dynamic. He understands what we want to achieve and works in closely to deliver on our objectives.
We knew in training that she was good in the barriers but wasn’t a horse that sizzled away as her hooves hit the ground. On previous exposed form, and the barrier draws, we expected that Time To Turn from barrier 2 would roll forward to the fence, and Subarctic would settle back on the fence from barrier 1. PIGGYBACK would hopefully land outside at the girth of Time To Turn, whilst Singbythesea from barrier 4 would tuck in behind us on the outside of Subarctic.
As the gates crashed back, the rider of the Time To Turn speared across to the fence and having jumped away well PIGGYBACK was straight across to land at its girth whilst Subarctic tucked in behind the leader. However, Singbythesea pushed up and speared to the front after 100m.
As the field settled down, Singbythesea had a 2-length lead over Time To Turn, PIGGYBACK was a head back in third on the outside of Time To Turn facing the breeze and the rider of Subarctic came off the fence and sat a half-length behind our filly.
Then passing the 600m point, Ash Morgan elected to go forward as he anticipated the leader would fold, and doing that, he put Time To Turn into a pocket and he had snuck a length in front of Subarctic.
Swinging into the top turn and running down the side, approaching the 450m, PIGGYBACK was unbalanced on the tight turning layout and Subarctic took off 3 deep to put our filly under pressure.
Ash saw it coming and kicked up to make that horse work overtime to get up to our outside, as Singbythesea was out of gas and Time To Turn was now two lengths away being scrubbed up to hold its position.
As the field swung into the home turn at the 400m post, Ash pushed to go button where our filly found a nice turn of foot and broke the heart of Subarctic who was all out chasing, and the other two were left in the dust.
Again, with racetrack inexperience our filly wobbled into the straight and balanced up 5-deep and Subarctic was at full steam but not bridging the gap.
Passing the 350m Subarctic was under heavy riding but was all out and starting to yield whilst Ash had not asked PIGGYBACK for an extreme effort.
At the 300m Ash knew he had the other horse beaten and was able to give PIGGYBACK a hands and heels ride pushing her along but remaining kind on our filly who responded and kept her margin to record a 3/4 length x 7 1/4 length winning margin.
Ash Morgan reported in post-race to say: “Yeah I thought that was good. As we know she is not a 1200m horse, however it worked out perfect. She jumped okay and I worked up outside the lead, and I actually wanted to press the button a little earlier than I did but she just didn’t really handle that corner, and I was a little sideways at that point, and when I levelled up, the other horse Subarctic came to us well but we were really cozy late, and she is still learning. She is going to be at her best when she gets to 2000m which will probably be next preparation, but it was fantastic to get that win out of the way for her.”
CONGRATULATIONS to her Dynamic Team of Owners that Own and Race this nice 3yo Filly: Dynamic Syndications Racing Synd, Mr S D Murray, Mr S J Brereton, Mr P S Chiu, Mr M R Egan, Mr M R Alston, Mr L C Griffiths, Mr A L Giddings, Ya Beaten Synd, Mr J Caspersz, Mr R Boekel, Mr D A Poletto, Mr S L Lamont, Pig Sty Synd.
A $27,000 Magic Millions purchase second time through the salering after the original purchaser had a diagnosed mental health condition, so the horse was re-offered through a Magic Millions tried horse sale.
Team Dynamic swooped on the filly when she was re-offered and was subsequently named PIGGYBACK after a move that Trapeze Artist's undergo during their performances. She has given her ownership team a lovely way to start her racing career with a photo for the wall and the promise of a lot of fun to come.
Piggyback - Winner 8.12.23 from Dynamic Syndications on Vimeo.
PIGGYBACK winning on debut became Dynamic Syndications 298th Individual Winner from 337 Individual Runners to date (88.4%).
It was also our 31st Race Win for this New Racing Season and our 56th Win for the Calendar Year, whilst she recorded our 859th Race Win overall.
Onwards and Upwards !