Whilst winning is always the goal, there are occasions in racing where building the foundation to achieve that result is equally as important as the end result.
This was the case for Dynamic Syndications and a brilliant team of Owners, when the first of our English imports we purchased at the 2017 Tattersalls Horses In Training Sale at Newmarket England, faced the starter at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
Mushaireb at the Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale
MUSHAIREB (Invincible Spirit x Hidden Brief) had raced on 5 occasions in England for 2 wins, 1 third, 1 fourth when we purchased the horse for 60,000 guineas.
Mushaireb - a handsome fella !
Arriving in Australia in December, it has taken a while for the horse to acclimatise and Gai and Adrian had given the gelding 3 barrier trials to give him a solid foundation for his first racetrack assignment “down under.”
MUSHAIREB ran a sensational debut run when finishing runner-up over 1600m at Warwick Farm.
Believing that MUSHAIREB is a stayer with enormous promise, the 1600m was being treated as a kick off point as we look towards the better middle-distance races between 2000m to 2400m in the Spring.
A horse that use to get back to the rear and finish off in exceptional sectionals, Gai Waterhouse was convinced that we had to teach MUSHAIREB to the ways of Australian racing.
Also believing that Mushaireb has exceptional staying ability, we were concerned that he didn’t have the necessary gate speed required.
So, this event was about laying the foundations of the preparation ahead.
We found a race that had a capacity field of 16 runners over 1600m and we had drawn poorly in barrier 14.
Gai thought that was perfect because it forced our hand to go forward.
We were unsure if he would be able to cross the field so it was a learning curve for trainer, jockey, horse and owners.
We had anticipated that he should get to the front and would have to work hard to do so and believing he wanted 2000m + we believed he may be a bit soft the final 400m.
WOW – what a run !
MUSHAIREB jumped well under jockey Rory Hutchings and went forward, in what was a line of 4 leaders after 200m. Rory pushed the go button and Mushaireb dashed forward but was being annoyed by another runner. Rory knew the game plan and following instruction, he forced Mushaireb to the lead stringing the field out over 20 lengths as they passed by the 1000m mark.
Mushaireb had set up a tempo that was going to suit swoopers as the leaders tired.
By the time they reached the point of the turn, the field had caught Mushaireb who was felling the effect of fast tempo.
As they straightened Rory gave Mushaireb a crack and the horse pricked his ears and dug deep.
However, at the 300m the eventual winner Sir Barb, who had race fitness under his belt and an easy run in transit, dashed 2 lengths in front whilst the eventual third placed horse Hammond Lane also marched a length in front of Mushaireb.
With how the race was panning out, most would have believed Mushaireb was entitle to knock up and drop out and be lucky to beat a runner home.
However, that wasn’t what happened.
Instead, Mushaireb’s superior staying bloodlines kicked in and Mushaireb fought hard and with grit and determination charged home the last 200m to come back and claim second place and finish just ¾ length from the winner.
Those who saw it were in amazement what the English import had done.
He’s not wound up, he’s not at his best distance, he was having his first start in Australia, on his first dry surface.
Mushaireb set a tempo that when they past the post, the race had smashed the Class Record by an amazing 2.22 seconds which equated to 15.5 lengths !
The team at Gai Waterhouse Racing are as excited as the Team at Dynamic Syndications about Mushaireb and what lies in front of him.
Mushaireb
The right European stayers can deliver amazing results here in Australia and with what we saw unfold on debut, the owners are entitled to be upbeat.
Mushaireb picked up $7920 for this effort and his form now reads: 6 starts: 2 wins, 1 second, 1 third, 1 fourth.
Mushaireb is owned by a brilliant Ownership Team: Dynamic Syndications Racing, Mr G Rassos, NEDS International P/L, Mr P Yesburg, Mr D A Poletto, Matrix Racing, Mr T Shahabuddin, Mr JV Beresford, Mr P B Duncan, Mr P Paradise, Mrs A Wollett, Mr H C Leung, Mr G Tew, Mr J Yianni, D J M M Racing, C J R Racing, Mr A D Vella
Watch the race here: