Dynamic Syndications 4yo gelding MAJOR ARTIE recorded a tough all-the-way victory at his first attempt at "Open Company" grade last Saturday when he Won Race 1 on the programme, the Treasury Brisbane Open Handicap over 1825m.
Our Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained MAJOR ARTIE also recorded a very "rare feat," becoming a city winner in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
MAJOR ARTIE has
won twice at Canterbury at 1250m and 1550m, he’s won at
Moonee Valley at 1600m and now at
Eagle Farm at 1825m. He also won a 1600m event at
Gosford and with Saturday’s win, he has taken his career record to
17 starts: 5-1-3 and $230,045.
Dynamic Syndications / Dean Watt Bloodstock purchased MAJOR ARTIE from the Magic Millions Gooree Park dispersal, as a two-start maiden who had finished 3rd and 10th and was sent to the spelling paddock.
We paid
$37,500 and since then, for
our ownership team he has had
15 starts: 5-1-2 and $223,045.
It takes a
special horse to win at
Open Company grade at their
first attempt, and it takes an even tougher horse to do it the way
MAJOR ARTIE did.
His last start was in Melbourne at Sandown when on the back of a 1600m win at Moonee Valley, he stepped up to 1800m when third-up, and found that trip just beyond his fitness level at Benchmark 78 grade and hit the wall with 100m to run and finished 4th of 11.
We had sent
MAJOR ARTIE to Melbourne to
avoid the
Heavy Sydney tracks, which we know he just can’t handle. We achieved that assignment, finding two Good 4 tracks and earned a win and the 4th and banked
$43,750 for those efforts.
With that under our belt, we bought him back to Sydney and were set to run on Anzac Day, but the rain kept tumbling and the track were far too wet for him and we scratched. We had him in a race at Hawkesbury on Saturday in a Benchmark 78 over 1800m, as well as this Eagle Farm assignment in Open Class over 1825m.
We accepted in both races on Wednesday and looked at the fields and forecast and decided to head to Queensland because of the tracks.
We knew it would be a dry surface up north and more rain was forecast for Sydney. It proved correct as Hawkesbury ended up a
Heavy 9 but played worse, and there was no chance we would have run in that event.
Our issue about
Brisbane was, because he was only a
Benchmark 75 rated horse, and we were taking on the
tougher, older, open class gallopers, with the opposition rated at levels of
91, 89, 88 etc., this spread in the weights under handicap conditions meant his true weight was
52.0kgs on a 59.0kg top weight. That 16 points equals an 8.0kg pull, and after adjustments for mares (-2.0kgs), it meant we had a
7.0kg pull on the Top Weighted male which was Star Of Michelin (59.0kgs).
This pull was a central factor in heading north, because we knew our horse was rock-hard fit, however it was still a question mark as it was a month between runs, plus we had found the 1800m of last start a bridge too far, but this would be offset by the weight pull.
However, the biggest factor was that despite the pull in the handicap weights, it was imperative we found a rider that we valued, that could ride strongly at such a light weight of 52.0kgs.
We had done our homework after nominations, and we made the booking of
jockey Mark Du Plessis who is a natural lightweight and a talented horseman and good judge of tempo.
Despite having not ridden for Gai and Adrian previously, Mark was known to the stable as he had ridden work for the team when in Sydney for carnival visits.
Booking Mark proved a
masterstroke, because his ride judging the speed, complimented the
typical Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott “bone and muscle” which won the day, as
MAJOR ARTIE ($2.30 favourite) kept attacking the line to claim victory by
0.4 length over classy racehorse Star Of Michelin ($6.0) with second favourite Trevelyan ($5.50) finishing
0.7 lengths in third.
With 52.0kgs on our back and with a race that appeared on paper not to have a genuine leader, in typical stable style, we chose to lead and make it a
“catch us if you can” – and they couldn’t.
To our team, the only risk was getting 1825m strongly after a month between race starts and road trips of Melbourne to Sydney and then Sydney to Brisbane.
However, that proved to be of no concern, as
MAJOR ARTIE in the pre-race parade looked like
“Fabio” such was his glamourous appearance and his coat was glowing. He looked a class above his peers in the parade which he needed to be, to win this Open Company as a Benchmark horse.
Mark had spoken to Gai on Saturday morning and she explained our tactics, how she wanted him to
bowl along 1-2 lengths in front of the field and try to get economical sections before winding-up from the 600m and make it a toughness test the final 400m.
With a head start and weight pull, it would prove extremely difficult to run him down if the field didn’t attack him and left
MAJOR ARTIE alone in front.
That’s exactly how the race unfolded, and a clever ride and excellent judge of pace resulted in
MAJOR ARTIE packing too much gunpower for his peers despite running on fumes the last 100m.
Supported by punters,
MAJOR ARTIE faced the starter being backed in from
$2.50 to $2.20 to get to $2.30 as the gates crashed back and nothing was backed to beat him.
As they jumped away,
MAJOR ARTIE and Mark Du Plessis speared across to find the fence and take control after the first 50m and from that stage it was
game over.
Settling into a rhythm after the first furlong, Trevelyan came up to our girth with Our Intrigue our back in third on the fence and Honourable Spirit in the one-one whilst and eventual runner-up Star Of Michelin two back the fence waiting to have last crack.
From the 1600m until the 600m there was no change in the order with
MAJOR ARTIE bowling along with a 1.5 length gap over the field and then from the 600m the field compacted as the tempo quickened. Due to the easy time in the early sectionals
MAJOR ARTIE was able to dictate from the front as the field swung into the straight and the sprint for home was on in earnest.
MAJOR ARTIE was still one length in front with Trevelyan issuing a strong challenge passing the 200m, just 3-lengths covered the field as every muscle and sinew was stretched to full capacity in a sprint to the line.
This is where
Gai and Adrian’s “Bone and Muscle” kicked-in, and
the ride of Mark Du Plessis kept him balanced as the whips where cracking.
Passing the 150m only one horse was looking a genuine threat which was Star Of Michelin who had received an economical run with cover throughout, and was presented to have last crack.
At the 100m
MAJOR ARTIE was out of gas again, and at this point Trevelyan was half a length away to our outside and Star of Michelin was 3/4 length back to our inside. We were a sitting duck to anything coming over the top.
Over the final 80m those chasing had hit their glass ceilings and weren’t capable in bridging the gap, as
MAJOR ARTIE broke the hearts of those chasing.
It was a combination of a heady ride; excellent fitness and the weight pull that resulted in his Dynamic Ownership Team picking up the $42,700 first prizemoney.
MAJOR ARTIE & MARK Returning to the Winner's Circle
The tale of the tape was in the sectionals. This was an 1825m event and this group of middle-distance horses sizzled home their
last 600m 34.24 seconds. That was amazingly quick for this trip.
On the day, only one race ran quicker, which was the 1000m scamper of the
Listed Dalrello Stakes where Exo Lady ran home in 33.70.
MAJOR ARTIE (34.24) ran a faster last 600m than all the other races on the day such as Count De Rupee win in the Gr2 Victory Stakes could only run
34.37, Arantee ran
34.44 in the 1200m Class 3, Minsk Moment in the 3yo Quality 1300m ran
34.78, Character in the Queensland Guineas ran
35.25 whilst in the other 1825m event a Benchmark 75 race they ran home in
35.76 seconds which was
1.52 seconds slower and that equates to approximately
10.5 lengths slower than
MAJOR ARTIE.
Jockey Mark Du Plessis said when interviewed post-race:
“
When I spoke with Gai this morning, I said their might be only be one other horse that might undo that for us but otherwise, I was happy to lead. I got a nice soft lead, probably went a little too slow but he was a month between runs and I was trying to do my best to get him to the 1800m. He may have fell in but there will be improvement from today.”
"A month between runs up to 1800m when I don’t think he’s won past a mile is a huge effort. I know the weight helped but he will improve from the run and probably be more competitive (speed) next time.”
“It’s actually my first ride I’ve ever had for Gai Waterhouse so it’s quite special for me. I remember I went down to Sydney to ride work for her a long time ago. She said, “I promise you’ll get a ride one day and I think this is her promise.”
Dynamic Winning Connections ~ Bookends Ross Gall & Ian Passmore
Then in a private de-brief to our owners Mark said:
A Happy Jockey - Mark Du Plessis
“First of all I would like to thank Gai and her team, I have never ridden for them before so to get the result straight away is an honour in itself. He fought really well today, he got a very soft lead, but I do think the 1800m really stretches him, I am not saying he can’t win it again, but I would say he would probably be a little more effective coming back in distance but being here in Brisbane he’s going to be competitive from a mile to 1800m but he’s won well today and I think he will improve.”
MAJOR ARTIE was only sent to Brisbane for a
hit-and-run mission and is back at Randwick to continue his training.
There are other races available in Brisbane, as well as a few here in NSW in the coming weeks. We will keep an eye on the weather and his general health and demeanour before deciding his next target.
MAJOR ARTIE is having a nice preparation this time in, where from his 4 starts he has won twice and banked
$87,950 to date.
BELOW: Enjoy the winning feeling ~
Major Artie - Eagle Farm 30.4.22 from Dynamic Syndications on Vimeo.
Congratulations again to our loyal DYNAMIC OWNERSHIP TEAM that race MAJOR ARTIE on your success and the fact you have such a rare gem to have won metropolitan races in three states: Dynamic Syndications Racing, Mr S B Troughton, Mr R J Gall, Mr P A Craig, Mr A Cranes, Mr G E Smith, Bimbadeen Racing, Mrs A T Woollett, Mr P J Woollett, Mr K B Rice, Mr E Fuller, C J R Racing, Mr A Attieh, LLTPC, MAPC, Mr A D Vella, Mr I D Passmore.
BELOW: Race Replay
Major Artie wins 30.4.22 from Dynamic Syndications on Vimeo.
The win by MAJOR ARTIE recorded Dynamic Syndications 761st Race Win and our 35th Race Win for the Current Season and it was our 6th Race Win during the month of April.