HARD TO SAY Makes it 8 Scoring Feature Race WIN at Warwick Farm

10 Oct 24

At the Holiday Monday 7 October meeting at Warwick Farm, HARD TO SAY lined up in the feature race of the programme, the $150,000, Kia Ora Prague Handicap Bm 100, over 1000m.

Trained by Jason Deamer at Newcastle, HARD TO SAY was resuming from a spell, and asked to carry 60.0kgs under Nash Rawiller.

Our Dynamic Duo put in an eye-catcher to claim victory for his All-Ladies Ownership Team and banked another $76,250 first prize.

HARD TO SAY ($4.60) defeated I Am Unstoppable ($60.0kgs) ($2.30) by 0.36 lengths with Renosu (56.5kgs) ($6.50) 2.28 lengths third.

HARD TO SAY ran a blistering 56.75 Last 600m: 0:33.37 . This was just outside the class record.

This took our 5yo geldings overall record to 23: 8-2-2 and $733,250.

A Happy Fiona Watt - Manager

CONGRATULATIONS to the All-Ladies Ownership Team that race HARD TO SAY: Dynamic Ladies, Mrs C Freeman, Mrs A T Woollett, Mrs B A Reid, Mrs K Corby, Mrs H Corby.

Bernice & Craig Reid & Fiona Watt hold the winning owners sash

HARD TO SAY went to the barriers as the second favourite. We had been thrilled with the way the horse had progressed after coming back in after a spell, and his most recent trial was first class and we believed we had a genuine winning hope off the strength of his trackwork.

The speed map showed us we couldn’t lead here. We saw Unflinching would jump and run very quickly and No Statement would push up and challenge. We only considered the favourite I Am Unstoppable as our danger. When we drew barrier one, it was ideal that we could scoot along the fence and tuck in behind the speed and I Am Unstoppable would have to travel either behind us or outside us. As the race unfolded the Map played out perfectly.

As the gates crashed back it was a charge of the light brigade, with Unflinching going at breakneck speed to lead, whilst No Statement gave chase and three others rolled forward to make a line of 5 across the track after the first furlong, with HARD TO SAY tucked in behind watching it all unfold and I Am Unstoppable two lengths off HARD TO SAY tracking our movements.

At the 600m Unflinching had sped to a 2-length lead over No Statement and the others started to come back off that speed battle whilst Nash pushed up a length to track Unflinching sitting 3 lengths away then The Novelist yielding out of the speed battle crossed over to the fence cutting off HARD TO SAY. Nash was a wake-up to this so passing the 500m rolled off the fence around the heels of a horse he knew was going nowhere and moved up to its girth as the field started to bunch on the point of the turn whilst I Am Unstoppable tracked up behind us.

As the field thundered into the home straight, Nash had HARD TO SAY in the perfect one/one spot two lengths off the leaders Unflinching and No Statement and I Am Unstoppable was tracking us with the last shot.

At the 300m Nash asked HARD TO SAY to extend whilst at the same time I Am Unstoppable pushed the go-button to give chase.

Passing the 200m No Statement was a length in front, Unflinching was gone and Renosu was making a dash down the outside and got up to eyeball I Am Unstoppable as it was trying to come off our Heels.

HARD TO SAY swept to the lead at the 100m and I Am Unstoppable was still a length behind us with Renosu beaten off.

In the run to the line Nash had HARD TO SAY going strongly and despite making a strong run late the runner-up had no answer and HARD TO SAY posted a tremendous win in the $150,000 feature.

JOB DONE!

The Racecaller’s words summed it up well: “HARD TO SAY moved up now, HARD TO SAY takes the lead from I Am Unstoppable coming home hard, but HARD TO SAY too good, HARD TO SAY by a Neck on the line to I Am Unstoppable and a photo for 3rd No Statement and Renosu.”

Sky Commentator Ben Way: “HARD TO SAY claims victory for Nash Rawiller and will pay $4.70 and $1.50 while the rest were searching for runs HARD TO SAY was there ready to pounce and put the race away.”

Mick Wallace co-host from Sky added: “Yeah, the two classy runners have quinellaed the race. HARD TO SAY resuming from a spell along with I Am Unstoppable. We mentioned pre-race that HARD TO SAY was likely to have a tactical advantage over I Am Unstoppable and that's the way it panned out. You could see HARD TO SAY was travelling sweetly coming to the home corner, whereas I Am Unstoppable was back behind a wall of horses He was able to force his way into the clear and he's put in some big bounds late, but the post came up too soon. HARD TO SAY improving upon what was already a very good record. He's now won 8 from 23. He's just a real winning machine and he looks like he's in a fantastic frame of mind and I think there will be more wins instore for him deeper into this prep.”

Ben Way then chats to Jason Deamer: “Absolutely. I think in essence it must be good to have this horse back.”

Jason Deamer: “Yeah sure is and yeah it's just lovely to see him back in action. He keeps going and it’s great for Dynamic Syndications, and everyone involved. Great group of owners, and even some came down (from Queensland) for the (NRL) grand final yesterday. And they have stayed on and could see their horse return in lovely style today.”

Ben asked: “I hope they were Penrith fans were they?”

Jason said: “They were neither, so they didn’t win but they didn’t lose, they won today.”

Ben then said; “Exactly and good to see. So that’s career victory number eight from start number 23 with four minors thrown in there. It’s fair to say this fella, he is still only 5, he's done a good job and prizemoney over 700 grand now.”

Jason answered: “Yeah he just keeps on improving, which is good. Everytime I keep raising the bar, he just keeps jumping it. So yeah, it's good because he had a decent spell there this time. He’s tough as nails, we usually just give him a freshen-up because he loves stable life. And as you can see, he’s just got that little bit stronger, he’s just matured again. He’s a slow maturer but he keeps improving, its great to have him in the stable.”

Ben Way then asked: “We are coming into an important time of the year where you want the stables name up in lights. It’s nice to get a win here on a public Holiday Monday but is there a horse you’re looking forward to seeing, excited to see, over the course of the spring.”

Jason quickly responded: “Yeah – this bloke. Thank you very much. Fantastic.”

Ben summarised: “You can see how much it means that this stable to have HARD TO SAY back at the races and Jason's done a fantastic job with this galloper. As has Nash Rawiller there he's done a great job. Congratulations to all connections.”

HARD TO SAY recorded our second win on the day having won a race earlier in Queensland with Johnny Dash and he produced our 902nd race win and our 12th win for the new season.