The
Canberra Race Club’s feature Maiden over their two-day carnival is named the
“Lickety Split” run over 1000m at Set Weights.
The race is worth $40,000 with $24,000 to the winner. There is also
a $10,000 bonus if the winner can
break 57.00 secs and another
$10,000 if the winner can break the track record of
55.84 secs.
Our Ciaron Maher and David Eustace trained 3yo filly I AM ME (I AM INVINCIBLE x MEFNOODA) was first-up after a spell and
blitzed her rivals and Smashed the clock, as you would expect from a
$1.60 favourite.
Easy does it ! ~ I AM ME strolls to victory
Ridden by Tommy Berry, I AM ME jogged over the line with a widening 2.8 length margin over the $7.00 second favourite and runner-up Tempestas, with Lovero in third spot
3.25 lengths behind us.
I AM ME stopped the clock at 56.55 secs and despite being eased down the final 100m, peeled off a slick 33.88 her last 600m.
That time ensured she was
well under the 57.00 seconds mark and
earned an additional $10,000 bonus for her owners.
There are not many races around at this level where winning your maiden earns
$34,000 to the winner.
It was too good to pass up.
Her first preparation we believed she was well up to
city class as a minimum, and we held the belief she was
black-type grade.
Our Filly after we purchased her in Melbourne - Note the Brand ~ Its the International Flight Name for DUBAI
I AM ME was a $210,000 purchase by Dynamic Syndications from the Segenhoe Stud draft at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale.
We took her to what we thought would be an easy, confidence builder at Goulburn on debut, however she was the victim of an ordinary steer and as a result, things didn’t pan out as anticipated.
We then outsmarted ourselves when going back in distance to a 900m scamper at Newcastle where she found the trip a bit sharp second-up, when running into Smirnova who put together 3 wins in a row.
Then third-up we jumped up to 1400m in the Reginald Allen and found the rise in trip didn’t suit when 5 lengths off Fangirl.
Spelled and ready to trial,
we had identified the Lickety Split as our first-up assignment and went about ensuring she had the right foundation to be ready on the day.
We gave her a soft trial on 14 February where she finished runner-up over 800m and then wanted to trial again but with the heavy rains, we were forced to trial on the poly track on 28 February over a short 740m.
Tommy rode her at the second trial and all we asked him to do was hold her together and not extend on that style of surface. Tommy did that, and he never moved on our filly, keeping the brakes on all the way up the straight, yet still won the trial by a
massive 7.78 lengths.
We had accepted in this race at Canberra and were also holding a nomination for mid-week race on the Kenso track. However, the money on offer at Canberra was too good to turn down.
Our speed maps showed the race would be run along at a fast tempo, and what the stable has been doing, is teaching our filly to settle and relax. In this event we anticipated that we should settle mid-field and stalk the speed into the straight and wait if possible until the 250m before asking her to extend.
As the barriers flung back, our filly jumped more upwards than outwards, causing her to
miss the kick three-quarters of a length.
Tommy Berry just allowed our filly to balance and let the speed go, settling a pair further back than anticipated. Then as they passed the 600m, Tommy gave I AM ME a little rein and she moved up strongly to be sitting about 5 lengths off the leader who was the eventual runner-up, as the field swung into the straight.
Easy does it !
Jog, trot, canter her way to victory
Tommy then angled a bit deeper and slipped
I AM ME a little more leather and she cruised up and passing the 150m took control and careered away for a soft win. None of those could answer the call and the margin kept growing despite cantering past the line.
I AM ME Returns to the Winners Circle
Tommy Berry being interviewed post race
I Am Me - Winner The Lickety Split from Dynamic Syndications on Vimeo.
This filly has a bright future and is owned by a terrific co-ownership team: Dynamic Syndications Racing, Sheikh M B K Al Maktoum, Mrs J M Crooks, B & K 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 N Joyce, Mr M G Joyce, Mr S B Troughton, Mr D P Lacey, Mr M J Millner, Mr S Finnigan, Mr A D Vella.
We thank the breeder
Sheikh M B K Al Maktoum, for joining us in the ownership team.
To put into perspective how good this run was we need to review the stats:
I AM ME Smashed the Class Record & Set a Race Record:
56.55 Secs
Fastest of all
8 Maiden Classes recorded for Canberra:
Open Mdn
|
57.03
|
C&G
|
58.42
|
F&M
|
57.99
|
4yo & Up
|
58.54
|
3yo & Up
|
58.10
|
3yo's
|
57.13
|
2 & 3
|
58.18
|
2yo's
|
58.02 |
There are a
total of 65 Classes of 1000m Races that are conducted at Canberra
There are
only 4 / 65 Classes to have recorded a faster time than
I AM ME ran:
Open
|
55.84 |
2018 (Track Record) |
Open 2yo
|
56.50
|
2021
|
Benchmark 75
|
56.35
|
2022
|
| Benchmark 60 |
56.32
|
2016
|
This WIN by I AM ME recorded our ~
751st RACE WIN
267th INDIVIDUAL WINNER / 317 INDIVIDUAL RUNNERS = 84.2% Winners:Runners
25th WIN for this Season
Onwards and Upwards!