You have to love those “feel-good” stories where the “underdog” has the starring role in the season finale and the plot delivers a suspenseful concluding scene, where this “underdog” walks away as the superhero, to thunderous applause and cheering as viewers are delighted with the outcome.
Is this the plot for the next big TV Series, HBO, Netflix or Stan blockbuster?
No ….. it was the Melbourne Racing Club’s final day of the 2019 Spring Carnival and the star of the show was Dynamic Syndications 5YO Mare TELEPLAY (by Written Tycoon x Special Episode) who became our heroine when, as the only female taking on the boys at Weight-For-Age in the $160,000 Gr3, 1300m Kevin Heffernan Stakes, she defeated those male rivals through sheer grit, class and competitive determination.
PHOTO FINISH - An inch is as good as a mile
TELEPLAY made it Back-To-Back Group 3 Victories in 11 days, having also won the Jim Beam Stakes Gr3 over 1400m at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day.
Trained to perfection by “Mick Squared” (co-trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr), TELEPLAY was presented into the parade ring with the looks of a supermodel and raced according to those looks, peeling off a devastating turn of foot under urgings of leading Victorian rider Ben Melham.
In a Pre-Race interview on Racing.com Mick Price said: “She’s race fit and at the top of her form.”
“I had a couple of concerns, I didn’t want to go the 1500m of the Summoned Stakes even though it was a lesser race and we actually had her in The Hunter at Newcastle today, but that was going to be awfully hard so this was the lesser of all the options, but its Weight-For-Age.”
“For her to only be getting 2.0kgs off these is pretty tough for her so, I just said to Ben, bury her there and if we can work home and run in the first three that would be great.”
“I just couldn’t find the right race for her before returning to the paddock. However, she’s fine. She was either going to the paddock after Flemington or front-up here but she needs things. She needs a soft track, and to get buried in a race and get produced at the right time. Its an ambitious placement I must say, but we’re doing our best.”
Then the ride of a Magician in Ben Melham displayed why he is at the top of his game. Ben’s ride was 100% perfection. He simply could not have ridden our mare any better and they got the job done.
TELEPLAY (rail), HEY DOC (centre) and HOME OF THE BRAVE (right)
In a heads-up, heads-down bobbing finish, Ben pushed her head down and TELEPLAY ($10) stuck her nose out where it mattered, right on the line, stopping the clock at 1:17.26 with a last 600m in 34.12 to defeat race favourite HOME OF THE BRAVE ($2.40) with HEY DOC ($6) a short-neck away in third spot.
D’BAI ($4.80) ran fourth 3/4 of a length behind TELEPLAY with ODEON ($17) a further head back in fifth nosing out RINGADINGDING ($16) in sixth spot just one length behind TELEPLAY.
TELEPLAY produced a “Deja Vue” race performance to claim victory here in manner as she did on Melbourne Cup Day. Allowed to settle early, she got back in the field on the fence, angled one off the fence around the home turn, was behind a wall of horses early in the straight, and when the gap appeared on the fence half-way down the running, dived back to the rail and unwound a powerful finish to hit the line hard, beating her peers.
This was the exact same way she won on Cup Day.
The major differences here compared to Cup Day were: (1) a change of rider from Nash Rawiller (back in Sydney) to Ben Melham, (2) the race was 100m shorter, (3) the Jim Beam Stakes was for Mares under Set Weights and Penalties and carried 56.0kgs whilst here at Sandown, she was the only mare taking on the males and (4) was taking them on at WEIGHT-FOR-AGE which is a domain reserved to the “Best Of The Best”.
Race Review: In a hotly contested finish where the first six home finished within a length, in-form mare TELEPLAY scored a heart-stopping win, her second Group 3 success within the fortnight.
She had a nice trip in fifth place on the rails, improved (between runners) rounding the home turn, switched back to the rail at the 200m and then fought gamely to score in a photo finish.
Home Of The Brave raced outside the leader (Hey Doc), challenged that runner at the 300m and kept fighting gamely for second, beaten a nose.
Hey Doc went to the front, steadied the early tempo, held an advantage at the 400m and then fought really well for a close third in a bold first-up run.
D’Bai settled in last place in the eight-runner field, eased deeper and into clear running at the 300m and kept making ground in the sprint home to finish (0.7 lengths) fourth in a good effort on his first run since April.
Odeon raced in fourth place, one out and one back, moved up at the home turn and then kept battling on well for (0.9 lengths) fifth, just in advance of Ringerdingding who was sixth to the home turn and then fought on nicely for sixth, beaten a length, in a sound first-up run.
TELEPLAY is rapidly climbing the mantle to be tagged into the “BEST OF THE BEST” class.
She has now had 14 starts: 5 Wins, 1 Second, 2 Thirds and has prizemoney earnings of $417,100.
She has won at distances of: 1100m (2), 1200m, 1300m, 1400m.
She now has the following black-type results on her resume:
1st MRC Kevin Heffernan Stakes WFA Gr3 (1300)
1st VRC Jim Beam Stakes Gr3 (1400m) (registered name Maybe Mahal S.)
1st VRC MSS Security Sprint LR (1200m) (registered name Always Welcome S.)
3rd MRC Mannerism Stakes Gr3 (1400m)
Post-Race co-trainer Michael Kent Jnr said: “It was a massive class rise but right horse, right day.”
“She’s in top form and Ben rode her perfectly. We just said ride her cold and hopefully we will run a place so I’m glad we won.”
“Things have been going her way, when mares get in form they produce on the track. I thought she looked fantastic today in the yard.”
Then the Post-Race interview with co-trainer Mick Price who was hoping Teleplay might have been able to run home into a place, taking on these well-performed opposition under the weight-for-age conditions, said our mare "punches above her weight."
"I've got to take my hat off to this mare." Price said.
"Obviously it's a very short margin, but that's her at her absolute best.
"She needed a great ride, which she got and they saved all the ground. Lucky it was just one of those bob of the head photos.”
"She's been so brave.”
“She’ll go to the paddock now and be saved for the autumn on the softer tracks – She’s a beautiful mare.”
“For her to win by an inch at Weight-For-Age against these horses was just perfect icing on the cake for her career.”
Trainer MICK PRICE with the Kevin Heffernan Trophy
Jockey Ben Melham when interviewed added: “She won well the other day and it was a big step up in class here today.
“I just rode her cheaply to be strong late. I followed the rail, she switched off great and travelled well into the straight. Hey Doc rolled along at a nice enough tempo and rolled off the fence and we saved all the ground and I was just able to get the cheap way home and she was able to stick her beak out on the line – God Bless Here !”
“Mick found a good race for her today, he’s a good trainer.”
“I think importantly the key to her is to just ride her to be comfortable early and give her a chance. She was genuine last start and very genuine here today up in class so well done to the team.”
Teleplay will now have a well-earned spell where Dynamic Syndications and the Stable will map out a plan for her next preparation.
TELEPLAY was an $85,000 Inglis Melbourne Premier purchase from the Baystone Farm draft for Dynamic Syndications / Dean Watt Bloodstock.
A half-sister to stakes-placed Astro Flame, she is the best of three winners from Special Episode, a winning three-quarter sister by Redoute’s Choice to Group 1 winner First Seal from dual Oaks Winner Episode.
With such a highly commercial black-type pedigree behind her and now she has won three (3) stakes races and also been stakes placed, TELEPLAY will be a highly desirable broodmare in the years to come, ensuring her sensational residual value.
TELEPLAY Owners & Connections
Congratulations again to our team of loyal Owners that race TELEPLAY: Dynamic Syndications Racing, Mrs B J Zions, Mr R Bau, Mr T J Gore, Mr NR Evans, Mr P J Pollard, Ms J Mariani, Mr G Georgiou, Mr W J Noonan, Mr D T Warburton, Mr S J Brereton, Mr G B Medved, Mr R A Elliott, C J R Racing, Matrix Racing, Mr S Najda, Mr D W Watt, Mr M A Wallace.
Teleplay - Sandown 16.11.19 from Dynamic Syndications on Vimeo.
This win by TELEPLAY became DYNAMIC SYNDICATIONS 614th overall Race Win and our 17th Race Win for this season.
TELEPLAY is one of 218 Individual Winners from 230 Individual Runners (94.7%) for Dynamic Syndications.
Thank you to all involved and an even Bigger Thanks to our mare TELEPLAY.
