Flying I AM ME Wins $1m Gr3 CONCORDE as Dynamic Now Have “WON IT” Twice

09 Sep 24

The Dynamic Syndications / Ciaron Maher Racing juggernaut keeps rolling through its gears.

Together we continue churning out the city winners for our wonderful ownership teams.

Last Saturday at Royal Randwick, we saw the return of our sensational 6yo mare I AM ME as she “flew” around the 1000m Randwick course, winning with authority over her gallant stablemate Bella Nipotina, to pick up the pointy end of the $1 million dollars on offer, from the first leg of the Sydney Sprint Series.

A masterful ride by Nash Rawiller who had partnered our mare in an “off-grid” barrier trial win at Goulburn in preparation for this Concorde return, resulted in a “symphony in motion,” as the skills of the horse husbandry on display from the team at Ciaron Maher Racing, Australia’s Number 1 Stable for winners the past two seasons, combined with astute management and targeted placement by Adam Watt and our Team at Dynamic Syndications, presenting Nash Rawiller with a horse on the day who was only 85% ready for this assignment, knowing we had a view towards bigger prizemoney on offer later in the Spring.

Nash walked out of the jockey’s rooms with his serious game face on, having done his homework and had his plan worked out. He was in the zone and was showing his steely determination to go out and execute the plan we had formulated, and this resulted in a “pearler” from our jet pilot.

Whilst the punters didn’t miss our mare either. She opened in betting at $11.00 on Wednesday, and was $10.00 on Friday night but then on Saturday morning, was subsequently smashed in on every call to officially start $4.80 second favourite to stablemate Bella Nipotina $4.40 and was backed into favourite on betfair as the field loaded into the machines.

Simply, the speed maps were telling us that Way To The Stars and Red Card would fly the gates and want to cross to the fence. This was ideal.

We were jumping away from barrier 2, whilst our main danger and stablemate Bella Nipotina was underneath us in Barrier 1, however she would not be able to match us in gatespeed.

It was simply a situation to jump cleanly and roll forward to make Way To The Stars over race to cross us, and Red Card would come across on its outside and set up a genuine fast tempo. We just needed to then, after 200m slot into the slipstream behind the leader.

Nash had previously ridden Way To The Stars and Nash believed it would takes us a long way up the straight and then be weak the final 100m, so to be there to step out from behind and push the “go-button” and off the front, it would prove mathematically too big an ask for those chasing.

Bang! The game plan worked perfectly, and our owners banked $581,000.

As the gates clanged back our mare was away cleanly, and Nash urged our mare to the pointy end and crossed Bella Nipotina as expected, to get to the fence after the first 100m.

Then just as scripted, Way To The Stars got trucking and it was handlebars down from Rachel King as she made it her sole focus to cross the face of the field and find the paint. Whilst she was doing that, Adam Hieronymus on Red Card let his mount come over at the girth of the leader.

However, Way To The Stars didn’t show its customary fast early tempo and was leading at a more moderate fractions which resulted in Nash having to grab hold of our mare to restrain her.

She wanted to be competitive and eyeball the leader and Nash was counting off his sectionals as the field gathered up on the point of the turn. Nash was stalking the leading two runners, waiting a half-horse off the paint, as the field balanced for the run home at the 350m.

Nash waited to see which of the speedy two upfront would yield first and that proved to be Red Card to the outside.

At the 280m mark I AM ME was three lengths off the leader and a length and a half away from Red Card who was yielding 3 off the fence. Nash was now preparing to get going.

At the 250m the race was on. We were two lengths off the leader, and Bella Nipotina was on the outside of Red Card with clear running one length off I AM ME in fourth spot.

At the 150m both I AM ME and Bella Nipotina had gone past Red Card and I AM ME was a length off Way To The Stars who was leading and a length in front of Bella Nipotina who was chasing us.

Such was the power of the finish that I AM ME swept to the front with 75m to run whilst Bella Nipotina was in full flight giving chase.

Here the only thing for sure was Ciaron Maher would quinella the race.

Bella Nipotina had been making steady ground but the task was too hard as a 1.5kg pull in the weights for I AM ME and a more vigorous ride from Nash over Craig Williams.

Nash was extremely confident in what he had under saddle. Finally, our mare responded and this resulted in I AM ME being courageous and in for the fight.

It was a two-horse war over the final 75m and despite making a gallant attempt to chase I AM ME, Bella couldn’t reel in the margin and Nash and I AM ME saluted by a Neck on the line.

Job Done!

The Official Margin was 0.23 Len between I AM ME and BELLA NIPOTINA with WAY TO THE STARS in third, 2.14 lens away. Fourth went to Private Eye who was 2.65 lengths behind us and Giga Kick was fifth, 3 lengths behind I AM ME.

It was a highly emotional result for Team Dynamic and our loyal band of fantastic owners.

Firstly, the $581,000 first prize was enormous and pays a lot of bills.

Secondly, our mare extended to over $3 million in prizemoney.

Third, our mare had been racing well over an extended period but hadn’t seen the winners circle since last year’s $2m Sydney Stakes win.

Next, it had proved that our faith in our mare was justified, and she was back with an awesome display, not only beating the best of the best that lined up against her, but also the time was sizzling breaking 56.0 seconds at Randwick.

In fact, the 55.97 was the second fastest 1000m Concorde Stakes run, and just behind the Class Record of 55.81 set by Gytrash in 2020, and was most acceptable against the Course Record of 55.20 set by Eduardo in 2021.

Importantly for the Team at Dynamic Syndications, this was our Second Race Win in the CONCORDE Stakes and both wins have come with our jet pilot Nash Rawiller in the saddle.

We had won the CONCORDE with Nash back in 2010 when our top-line sprinter REWARD FOR EFFORT defeated Winter King and Trusting. Back then the race was at Rosehill over 1100m.

During the Sky Central post-race coverage commentators said:

Greg Radley from Sky Central started by interviewing the Sydney Stable Assistant Trainer Johann Gerard-Dubord with: “Well done Joh, I AM ME, she's come a long way.”

Aussie Joh (Johann Gerard-Duboard) said: “She has come a long way, but she's improved every prep. Obviously, last prep in those Group 1’s, she always finds one too good. But she's come back very well. She's been spending some time at Bong Bong. Good, very good tracks there, it's very relaxed and it's probably just what she needed.
“The team there, they look after the track, and they do a very good job.

“Obviously, she loves those conditions, these fast tracks, she’s got a very good record first-up; gate helped. It was a very good ride from Nash and great to get another win for Dynamic.

“Obviously, they’re having a lot of fun with that horse, and it's been a plan to target the Sprint series with her his prep, and that was the race we had in mind from the get-go, and everything worked out well.

“Took her to Goulburn to give a bit of confidence in the trial. That was the reason, and she obviously enjoyed that, got her confidence back, and everything worked out well today.”

Greg Radley then said: “Here she is winning a 1000m. She’s great at 1200m. She’s very good at 1400m. She’s Group 1 placed!”

Joh’s response was: “Yes, she has raced very well over 1400 also. And the thing about it, I think she's come back more mature again. Usually in the mounting yard when a jockey gets on, she gets a bit hot. When today she was just relaxed the whole time. Just a really mature mare now, and she had the right conditions today.”

Greg Radley continued: “And Bella Nipotina, she just can't possibly let you down. Everytime, she goes to the races she does something.”

Joh confirmed: “She is just unbelievable. She loves racing. Probably didn’t have the best conditions for her today. We know she does like those tracks with a touch of give. A thousand metres was obviously as short as she wants, the way the tracks been playing it was always going to be hard for her. But yeah, she just can’t run a bad race. I think she still improving, and we’ll have a lot of fun with them. Thank you.”

Next Corey Brown interviewed Nash Rawiller: “Congratulations Nash, what a turn of foot when you got clear running!”

Nash Rawiller said: “She was amazing, wasn't she? I was surprised, because I really dove through that gap, came off Way To The Stars back, and as soon as I produced her, I thought, I'm in trouble, because obviously, Bella Nipotina was coming; it was pretty quick at that point.

“I thought she'd out-tough me, but I loved the character of my horse. She picked up and really just wasn't going to lay down.

“They are two good mares, especially the one I just rode, she’s one that’s really put the writing on the wall for a big race this year.”

Nash was then grabbed by Emma Freedman for the Channel 7 live broadcast and Emma began by saying: “Well done Nash, she was electric at the end, you got run of the race and she did the rest.”

Nash gathered his thoughts and replied: “Obviously, yeah, look, obviously she’s really shown she’s only a length off these really good horses throughout her career, and today she had everything fall into place for us. Nice even speed which she was able to sit off, and really got to show her turn of foot. Look, I thought the big girl had us there at the 100m but gee, she was tough.”

Emma agreed saying: “Yeah, you were being challenged there by a superstar, who’s won nearly eleven million dollars in prizemoney, so, a Group 3 today. Can she measure up in The Everest?”

Nash was confident in his reply: “Look, I have no doubt. They don’t do what she’s just done and not deserve a shot at the big one.

“You know I have rode a lot of these good ones leading into these races, and I don’t think I have rode one still as hairy in the coat, and things like that so, yep, as I said, she’s shown that she’s a genuine Group 1 horse, and who knows? This could be her prep to really step up. She’s come back better than ever that’s for sure.”

Emma then inquired about what Nash did past the post: “You saluted over the line, with your whip. We don’t usually see that in Group 3’s, so that must have meant something, what was it?”

Nash laughed and tongue-in-cheek said: “I have been sacked off every other horse in the race (laughing), so you know. At the end of the day, if I am on the right horse, they are feeling well and they are right on the day, I’ll get the job done, don’t I?

“And it’s always nice to repay. I have been riding for Dean and Adam at Dynamic Syndications for so long now and we have got a great rapport with each other, so it’s nice to repay them with a good race today. Thanks.”

CONGRATULATIONS to our terrific Team of Loyal Dynamic Owners that race I AM ME: Dynamic Syndications Racing, Sheikh M B K Al Maktoum, Mrs J M Crooks, B Ramsey Family, Mr P J Woollett, Mr G Rassos, Mr R J Gall, Mr R G Dawkins, Mr A W Robertson, Mr A Cranes, Mr A Mitchell, Mrs M Joyce, Mr M G Joyce, Mr S B Troughton, Mr D P Lacey, Mr A D Vella, Mr MJ Millner, Mr S Finnigan.

This victory for I AM ME was her 10th Race Win and tenth photo on the wall for her owners.

It was also Dynamic Syndications seventh (7th) win for the new racing season; 5th in town, and 3rd city winner in past 10 days from the Ciaron Maher Team.

Overall, this I AM ME Concorde win recorded Dynamic Syndications 897th Race Win to date.

At this point, I AM ME has pulled up sensationally well.

She was bucking her brands off on Sunday and licked the feed tin clean.

We remain committed to following the early first two legs of the Sydney Sprint Series (Concorde, The Shorts) then will review our position before aiming towards either the Premiere and/or The Everest or Sydney Stakes, then into either the Russell Balding (1300m) or The Invitation (Mares 1400m).

Whilst for her immediate next assignment, she will carry just 55.0kgs and James McDonald has been booked to steer, replacing Nash Rawiller because Nash can’t get down to that weight.