Dynamic Syndications LADIES Ownership 4yo gelding HARD TO SAY (Exceed And Excel x Malasun) has gone back-to-back Metro Wins when he was simply to classy for his peers on Saturday at Doomben.
HARD TO SAY won Race 1, the Country Music Raceday 9 September Class 3 Plate over 1050m.
HARD TO SAY is trained by our excellent trainer JASON DEAMER who is based at Newcastle and was ridden by local Newcastle based rider Ash Morgan, who we asked to go to Brisbane and ride our horse for his team of Lady Owners.
HARD TO SAY was Second-up from a spell, having won over 1100m first-up at Rosehill on the 5th August over 1100m.
HARD TO SAY was a dual acceptor on Saturday at both Doomben and Rosehill and on Wednesday morning after acceptances, we had the opportunity to review both races and elected the right assignment was in Brisbane, so we elected to head up the highway and got the chocolates and banking the $42,700 first prize.
We felt we were a good hope in Sydney in a Benchmark 78 1100m, however the race was a much stronger event than in Brisbane, where it was a Class 3 Set Weights Plate event. HARD TO SAY who was rated a Benchmark 78 Benchmark horse in Brisbane (75 Benchmark Horse in Sydney), was very well treated carrying 59.0kgs where the next highest rater to face the starter was a Benchmark 72.5 horse which was 5.5 points less which equals 2.5kgs yet had to carry the same weight as HARD TO SAY. That represents a significant advantage under the weight scale to the highest rated horses as compared to what they have to carry under a handicap. So, technically HARD TO SAY was thrown into the event and when that happens class tends to rise to the top and that is too big an advantage for the best rated horse in most races.
And so it was on Saturday, when HARD TO SAY with Ash Morgan riding him the perfect race, was too strong and Ash was allowed to roll him to the line over the final 50m under hands and heels.
HARD TO SAY (59.0kgs) ($4.30) Won in CLASS RECORD Time defeating Compassionate (55.5kgs carried 52.5kgs) ($3.80) by 1.19 lengths with Devastating (59.0kgs) ($3.00 Fav) 1.46 lengths in third.
On a Good 4 HARD TO SAY ran: 1:00.25 Last 600m: 33.60.
Finally, the penny has dropped for the brilliant sprinter who in his earlier days was a deep-thinking individual whom we never knew which one would turn up on raceday. He’s blessed with so much natural speed, but as a younger horse would do silly things in races and throw the races away.
This time in, he has matured and strengthened up significantly, both mentally and physically, and is far more tractable for his riders.
Tactically in this event, we wanted to be positive and go forward, however we anticipated that there would be a lot of speed early, so not to push him to be there, but just ride him neutral and let the horse be comfortable where he settles.
We were of the opinion that the speedy Delyth (Barrier 4) may want to go hard first-up from a spell and lead. Whilst Compassionate (Barrier 2) and Devasting (Barrier 1) may want to push up and hold the fence.
So, we could see us getting a lovely trail behind a fast run tempo. Option two was to watch it unwind and if Delyth went forward and the other two handed up and allowed it to cross, then go across with the speed horse and sit at its girth.
As the gates crashed back, it was out.
Delyth did its thing and speared to the lead to claim the fence and having drawn outside it, Ash steered HARD TO SAY over and landed at the girth of the leader. This caused eventual runner-up Compassionate to settle one pair back on the fence in third, and the favourite Devastating was beaten for early speed and was a further pair back on the paint. Under this weight scale, with HARD TO SAY getting to the outside of the leader so easily and with the leader over-racing, the race was already technically over at the 800m marker, with only the exception of bad luck causing stress, which didn’t eventuate.
The race stayed in its settled formation until the point of the turn, where runner-up Compassionate pushed out across heels three-deep to our outside as the field thundered into the top of the straight.
Ash had HARD TO SAY full of running and just waited until they balanced up for the run home. Ash slipped HARD TO SAY a little rein and the Dynamic Duo skipped a length clear with Compassionate all-in giving chase. Compassionate (52.5Kgs) with its 6.5kg pull in the weights was the only likely danger, but it was trying but had no answer to the brilliant speed of HARD TO SAY.
Passing the 150m Ash pushed to go-button and they put up a 2-length margin. Keeping the horse concentrating to 75m to run, Ash was able to just ride under hands and heels to the line whilst the rest of the field were hard at work for the minor money.
Placed to Perfection - JOB DONE!
A Magic Millions Yearling buy for $160,000 from Eureka Stud, HARD TO SAY has banked $97,700 in his past two wins and has taken his career record to:
14 Starts: 4 Wins, 1 Second, 1 Third, and $254,050. 3 of his 4 wins are Metropolitan Saturday races and he was also 2nd in the Phelan Ready S., LR, and 4th in the ATC Breeder’s Plate Gr3.
Interestingly, 13 of his 14 starts have been between 1000m and 1100m with only one attempt at 1200m when he ran 4th during the Magic Millions Carnival.
Congratulations to our LADIES OWNERSHIP TEAM that race HARD TO SAY: Dynamic Ladies Synd (Mgr Mrs F Watt), Mrs C Freeman, Mrs A T Woollett, Mrs B A Reid, Mrs K Corby, Mrs H Corby.
Hard To Say Wins at Doomben 26.8.23 from Dynamic Syndications on Vimeo.
HARD TO SAY continued the terrific start to the new 2023-24 Racing Season as he recorded our 6th Race win for the month of August.
HARD TO SAY winning at Doomben also recorded Dynamic Syndications 834th Race Win overall.
We have our eye on some races during the Magic Millions Carnival and we are planning a programme to have the speed machine available for these events in December and January.
Onwards and Upwards – Forever Forward!