An inch is as good as a mile when it comes to racing and a horse sticking its nose out to hit the finishing line first.
That’s what
DYNAMIC ROCK needed to do on Saturday at Newcastle when she won Race 3 on the programme, the
RADFORD SHOPFITTERS F&M Benchmark 65 Handicap 1350m, track condition: Good 4, Time: 1:19.89 Last 600m: 0:34.40.
DYNAMIC ROCK (4yo mare by FASTNET ROCK ex DYNAMIC LOVE) is trained by Gai Waterhouse and was ridden perfectly by stable rider Adam Hyeronimus.
She was asked to lump 61.0kgs and won by 0.1 x 0.4 lens, starting at $7.00.
This was truly
a training masterpiece by Gai and her team and when readers understand the work that has gone into polishing this mare to win, its only then that we can understand the enormity of this training feat.
DYNAMIC ROCK had shown plenty of potential as a racing prospect as an early horse.
She debuted as a 3yo running 3rd at Canterbury then was 5th at Warwick Farm at her second start.
At her 3rd run, she won with authority at Warwick Farm over 1400m on a Heavy track.
We then sent her around in stakes company at her 4th run where she performed with distinction running an unlucky
4th in the Reginald Allen LR just 1.8 lens from the winner.
We then sent her around on the 4th October 2014 in the Gr1 Flight Stakes but we thought she had come to the end of her preparation and that’s why she didn’t figure in the finish.
Unfortunately, she pulled up lame.
After a spell she came back into work and went lame again and this time the injury was finally diagnosed as a stress fracture to her pelvis and damage to a hind fetlock.
We removed the horse from that stable and sent her for a long spell. We then
relocated her to the GAI WATERHOUSE stables.
Hoping for something but expecting nothing, GAI and her team used knowledge and experience and worked her magic to train the mare with a combination of long slow stamina and swimming building the fitness up, slowly but surely.
It’s been a very patient time for her Owners who never lost faith, despite the extended stint on the sidelines and the ongoing costs.
Finally after all this time had passed,
DYNAMIC ROCK returned to the track on the 26th March 2016.
That was a week short of 18 months off.
First up she ran out of puff early and was beaten 3 lengths.
Then second up she went to Warwick Farm and was in the firing line but knocked-up again.
This was to be expected as she was quite big in condition and with so long off the scene, she was very fat inside.
Gai Waterhouse and Adam Watt at trackwork had noted a major improvement in the mare after her 2nd run. It seemed to turn her mind on and the extra fitness, now saw her trackwork improve significantly. However
GAI identified the mare was not stretching out as well as she should. With a change of work and various other changes, her gait improved and she was a lot freer in her action.
When acceptances came out for this race, the handicapper had allotted her 61.0kgs top weight which was a lot of weight for any mare to carry, let alone one that had been off the scene 18 months and then had 2 ordinary runs.
There was no thought of a claim, with the need of a senior rider more important at this start, than the relief of a claim.
Carrying 61.0kgs with Adam Hyeronimus aboard, Dynamic Rock had to give runner up and favourite SPICED 58.5kgs (Godolphin) 3.0kgs = 2 lengths advantage, whilst 3rd placed They Call Me Rose only carried 51.5kgs after the boy’s 3.0kg claim. That was a pull in the weights of 9.5kgs. = over 6 lengths advantage.
However despite the massive pull in the weights,
DYNAMIC ROCK’s Class shone and albeit a small margin, she won exceptionally well.
As they jumped away Adam drove
DYNAMIC ROCK forward to hold the lead on the fence after 100m.
Then Flying Snitz, the horse they backed $9.00 into $4.40 was given a squeeze to cross
Dynamic Rock and lead on the fence, with the runner-up and $3.00 favourite Spiced pushing up to sit second shuffling us back into 3rd spot on the fence, with They Call Me Rose sitting at our girth in the one / one spot.
At the 600m
At the 400m
They raced in this formation until straightening when it turned into a sprint to the line.
Unfortunately, we were locked away in a pocket and Adam tried to push his way out but couldn’t get clear.
Then
at the 150m, a gap appeared as the leader Flying Snitz started to
yield. Adam had to patently wait and it was only 75 metres from the line
when Dynamic Rock got clear room.
Adam asked to pick up and the
mare responded and gave chase. Still with 25 metres to go, she was a
neck behind however with 4 hard strides, got to the front in a driving
finish to pass the runner up and win by a short half-head.
At the 200m
At the 100m
At the 25m
On the Post
Easing Down
Post race in the Winner's Circle
WINNERS ARE GRINNERS !
It may not have been a Gr1, nor a
city race but it was the most satisfying win Team Dynamic, and Gai
Waterhouse have achieved in a long time.
The horse husbandry and management, the belief in the horse and the loyalty of the owners combined for a well-deserved win for the horse and Owners.
Nursed back to health, and then expertly managed into fitness,
the class of Dynamic Rock shone through.
She is a terrific mare and with average racing luck her owners will have several more trips to the winners circle.
However as exciting as the win was,
even more thrilling was the outstanding way the mare presented at the Stables on Sunday morning.
Fiona (Team Dynamic) giving DYNAMIC ROCK a well deserved pat on Sunday morning
She was bright and happy and looked a picture of health. She still has a way to go in her fitness however if she can repeat this type of racing her Owners will be in for a fair bit of fun.
Congratulations to the Team of Dynamic Owners that race DYNAMIC ROCK – many are long time loyal owners of Team Dynamic:
Dynamic Syndications Racing Synd, Mr R J Gall, Mr D M Meehan, Mr A Pino, Mr B J Todd, Mr W E Muller, Mr B A Sly, Mr D Mifsud, Mr G J Timmony, Mrs R C Rothwell, Mr C Johansson, Mr D Garde, Mr G J Suchoronczak, Mr L Woolhouse, Mrs L Capon, Mr R A Robinson.
This was Dynamic Syndications 28th Win for the 2015-16 Racing Season and our 457th Race Win since October 2005.