Congratulations to our Dynamic Team of Owners that race ABERRATION 4yo gelding (Lonhro x Hallucinates) after his well-deserved and courageous
last stride WIN at Newcastle on Saturday.
The Brad Widdup trained ABERRATION was ridden by Blake Spriggs and came with a sustained run down the centre of the track to record
a Dynamic victory against obvious track bias favouring leaders on the fence.
ABERRATION won the Tyrrell’s Wines Benchmark 73 Handicap over 1350m on the Beaumont track, claiming the dramatic last stride win in a time of 1:20.65. It was the barest of margins that separated
ABERRATION and runner-up Fratellino of just 0.01 with Aristograts finishing 0.67 lens back in third (a Nose x ¾ len).
With the rail out 5 metres, what is normally a tricky angle to watch the finish at the Beaumont circuit is made even more difficult.
To the naked eye, it looked as if the horse on the inside fence had held-on however you have to give the best part of a half-head benefit to horses closing down the outside of the track.
Blake Spriggs pushed and pushed Aberration to the line and in a determined last bound, Aberration’s nose came down on the line. Whilst most thought the inside prevailed, Aberration’s name and number flashed up on the big screen, confirming he had claimed victory by a nose.
Massive credit for the win goes to the exceptional ride put in by Blake Spriggs.
The speed map had Aberration getting a soft trail in 4th – 5th position off a kind pace that was to be set by Fatellino who we considered would be the leader.
However, the way the track was playing, connections of other horses understood that you had to be up on pace and preferably leading to have any hope of winning.
So, from the moment the gates crashed back, the speed was on.
We had drawn barrier 2 and jumped away cleanly however after just 50m, our plan to hold a forward position was evaporating as it became a charge for the lead. We were back in 5th spot already and under immense pressure to hold that position. Blake knew our instructions were to be on the back of the leaders and he urged and urged Aberration forward, despite our horse wanting to ease out of the speed battle up front.
Blake was hard at work, riding as if it was the finish of the race rather than the beginning, just to stay in touch. It wasn’t until the field hit the 1000m mark, did the early pressure subside into a racing pattern and then, Aberration who had been scrubbed along, was allowed to settle. Aberration and Blake found themselves in 6th spot, six lengths off the leaders some 3-4 lengths further back than we had anticipated.
On the point of the home turn, there had been no change in positions from any runner with Blake and Aberration in 6th spot, six lengths off the lead.
It was here that things became dicey. A couple of the horses who had tried to go with early leader Fratellino were out of gas and started to yield ground, causing the field to bunch up and that caused interference and whilst this was happening, the leader stole a break as they swung for home.
The balance of the field that had been behind Aberration in the run, closed up quickly and two whipped around us, whilst Blake was caught behind the Paul Perry runner Peggy’s Cove that was going backwards, leaving us no alternative but to check and then check again costing us all momentum and field position because we got pushed back to last with nowhere to go. Normally that’s it – race over! However, nobody told Aberration and Blake that they couldn’t win from there.
As they straightened for the run home, Blake had to turn Aberration almost sideways to get out from behind Peggy’s Cove and then, had to then do the same to get galloping room off the heels of the favourite Jemadah.
At the 300m Aberration started to wind up but was giving Fratellino, Aristograts and Jemadah still the best part of 6 lengths head start. Aberration was still finding horses to both his inside and outside whilst the favourite Jemadah was rolling about in front of him when under pressure chasing the leaders. Circumstance had conspired and we looked to have no hope with 300m to run.
At the 200m Aberration had got into his rhythm and Blake was riding aggressively hands and heels but the pair were still 4 lengths off the leaders who were in the fast lane close to the fence. At this point it looked as if we were going to finish an eye-catching 3rd.
At the 150m we had passed the favourite Jemadah but were still 2 lengths off the leader Fratellino and 1.5 lengths off Aristograts – Come on boy – can we grab second ?
At the 100m we were closing with speed and big strides and it was only at this point did Blake give Aberration a backhand with the whip. Aberration grew a leg as he responded.
At the 50m we claimed second spot from Aristograts and we were sizzling to the post but still we were a length away.
With 25m to go we were a neck off the lead but would the winning post come to quickly?
In the last 2 hops the race caller says
“and Aberration launches (….. then silence as they go past the post). “Oh close – not much in it !”
Had he done it? Had he done the impossible and won?
The race caller added
“it’s come quick Aberration here and with the rail out I wouldn’t sell out if you’re on it (Aberration) its had a lunge.” The next 5 seconds seemed like an eternity before Aberration’s name and number flashed up on the screen and the race caller adds:
“And it has got there! It’s won the seven (7) (Aberration) and looking at the replay, it was so close, its only got there in the last half stride. A little master ride by Blake Spriggs.”
A big group of owners with their families were on hand to see their horse Aberration claim victory.
As for Masters, gun trainer Brad Widdup and Dynamic have combined yet again with another ex-Godolphin purchase.
Dynamic Syndications purchased Aberration for $30,000 at the Magic Millions National Racehorse Sale. He has now raced on 5 occasions for Team Dynamic: 1 win, 2 seconds, 1, third, 1 fourth and earned our owners $32,600 prizemoney for us.
So now he has won his purchase price back, he is a free horse, sound and right to go on with and offers his owners the potential for a lot of enjoyment.
His first start he ran third at Gosford in a good foundation effort.
We gave him his second start at Wyong where he finished 2nd and then gave him a short break in the paddock to allow Brad to start fresh.
He resumed with an eye-catching 2nd at Kembla between Smartedge and Travencore and the form from that race is super.
He then started favourite at Kembla but on the surface appeared disappointing when finishing 4th but in hindsight, there were several excuses for that run including: weights, tempo, missing the start causing the horse to run outside his pattern and second-up off a hard first-up effort.
We were very keen on his prospects here at Newcastle and he won (although only just!).
We had accepted in two (2) races on the programme, Race 2 was a Class 1 over 1350m, and Race 5 the Benchmark 73. When the fields and barrier draw came out and we reviewed the speed map, and form of the opposition, we elected to run in the harder Benchmark 73 as we felt the drop in weights from 59.0kgs to 55.0kgs would give him the lightest weight he had ever carried in his now 11 race start career.
We also considered the barrier 2 draw was a softer option than an awkward draw in barrier 5 of 7 runners in the Class 1.
Also, our speed maps had him settling in second last spot in the Class 1 off a quick tempo whilst we appeared on paper to get a better trail in the Benchmark 73.
So, we decided, the 73 was sound logic, however the race got ugly on the turn when we got shuffled back to last off a hot early tempo and we certainly had not anticipated getting shuffled back.
However inspirational horsemanship by Blake Spriggs and a class edge from Aberration combining with the lowest weight of his career allowed us to claim victory.
ABERRATION now has an overall record of 11 Starts: 2 Wins, 6 Seconds, 1 Third, 1 Fourth and $62,495
Congratulations to the Top Team of DYNAMIC OWNERS that Race ABERRATION:
DYNAMIC SYNDICATIONS RACING Syndicate (MR D WATT, MR A WATT), MR K PEARSON, MRS F MIFSUD, MR J CARROZZA, MR R J GALL, MR P ALLEN, MRS A W EDWARDS, MS B M CASSIDY, MR L SEMINARA, MR S F DUGGAN, DR M G PURCELL, MR K BARAKAT, MRS D M CANNING, MRS R G RICCOBON, MR G C DAVIES, MR P B SZALAJKO, MR M A PRESTON, MRS M J LIGHTFOOT, MR D G LIGHTFOOT and GRAYMARK Syndicate (MR M RICHARDS, MR C GRAY).
Also, to our Trainer BRAD WIDDUP and Jockey BLAKES SPRIGGS goes a big “THANK YOU.”
The win by ABERRATION becomes Dynamic Syndications 181st Individual Winner from 195 Individual Runners (92.8%), He becomes our 28th Race Win for the 2017-18 Racing Season and he is our 515th Overall Race Win.