Dynamic Syndications 4yo gelding JOHNNY DASH (by I AM INVINCIBLE from DASHOFF) scored the Fifth (5th) Win of his 15 Start career to date when he was asked to lump the grandstand first-up from a spell over an unsuitable trip, to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat claiming the Three Rivers Machinery Case IH Country Boosted Benchmark 66 Hcp over 1100m at Narromine on Tuesday.
JOHNNY DASH (61.5kgs) ($6.50) defeated Overextend (58.5kgs) ($2.70 Fav) by 0.16 length with Musical Affair (57.7kgs) ($10) 0.24 length third.
Our Mack Griffith trained galloper has so far been set a country campaign through his career and has ticked a lot of boxes along the way for his loyal team of terrific Dynamic Syndications Owners.
Originally trained for us by Annabel Neasham, JOHNNY DASH won his maiden at Bathurst and a Class 1 at Goulburn. With another preparation under his belt, he had couple of runs before we decided he would be better suited trained in the country where the costs were more reflective of the prizemoney he was running for.
We elected to swap JOHNNY DASH to our Country based trainer Mack Griffith at Mudgee, and it has proven a profitable decision.
JOHNNY DASH has had 6 starts under Mack’s tutelage for: 3 wins, 1 second, 1 third and 1 fourth and has picked up $57,475 in Prizemoney.
His first preparation for Mack, JOHNNY DASH had 5 starts and went to the spelling paddock after a strong victory at Gunnedah. That was 13 weeks ago, and we discovered with JOHNNY DASH he is loving the rural environment and the opportunity to remain fresh between runs.
He had a barrier trial at Warren over 1000m on 12 November which he won easily, suggesting he would be ready for a good preparation.
He was heading into this first-up run forward in condition, but still with plenty of upside both in condition and wanting further.
Looking for a rider in the district that we would want to engage was going to be a challenge. We settled upon boom young apprentice Anna Roper to steer. Anna has out-ridden her claim in the country, yet her talent is obvious, and we believed she would give JOHNNY DASH every opportunity to run well first-up from a spell.
This decision proved a masterstroke.
Tactically we wanted to be as close to the speed as possible whilst keeping our horse comfortable in the run.
Having drawn well in barrier 4 in a field of 12, the speed map identified we should receive a lovely trail just behind the leaders and we were keen to get cover until the top of the straight and then angle wide and balance up. Despite the big weight and full field, we felt JOHNNY DASH would be able to hit the line strongly.
The race panned-out as we had hoped, and JOHNNY DASH stuck his head out when it countered most.
As the gates crashed back, JOHNNY DASH was away cleanly but was 3/4 length behind the immediate speed. After 50m stablemate and eventual third placed Musical Affair kicked up to claim the lead on the fence passing the 1000m peg, three others kept attacking, leaving Anna the decision to ease slightly, and JOHNNY DASH lobbed in fifth spot, 2½ lengths off the speed as the field quickly spread out over a dozen lengths.
Passing the 800m, the field had established their positions, and the leader Musical Affair had increased its margin to 4 lengths in front of JOHNNY DASH.
Passing the 600m, the favourite and eventual runner-up Overextend moved up on our outside to try and hold us in a pocket 3 pairs back on the fence, whilst it was in the running line approaching the swing into the home turn.
On the point of the turn, Overextend rolled out to clear running down the middle of the track, whilst Anna knew she had a lap full of horse underneath her, so she elected to stay inside and cut the corner and ride for luck.
Balancing into the straight with 300m to run, Musical Affair had stolen a two-length break on the field, which was headed up by fellow runners Minniewater and Din.
Anna peeled wide off the heels of Minniewater however as she did, it started laying out under pressure, closing the gap between it and Din to its outside, where Anna was steering JOHNNY DASH into that gap. Whilst the favourite Overextend was in full flight down the outside with an uninterrupted passage and was closing quickly.
At the 250m, JOHNNY DASH was still back in fifth spot, 3-lengths behind Musical Affair, a length and a half behind Minniewater, a half-length behind Din and a neck behind Overextend.
At the 150m JOHNNY DASH had moved up into third spot, a length and a half behind Musical Affair, and a head behind Overextend, whilst he had gotten the better of both Din and Minniewater.
Now it was a drive to the line, and with the weight disadvantages of needing to spot Musical Affair 4kgs (equivalent to 2¾ lengths) and giving Overextend 3 kgs (equals 2 lengths), JOHNNY DASH was now feeling the pinch of his first-up run and should not have needed momentum to catch the leader or the favourite.
However, nobody told JOHNNY DASH that equation. Responding beautifully to the balance in the saddle of Anna Roper, and the polish Mack Griffith had put into the horse for his resumption run, JOHNNY DASH would not concede and lengthened under saddle to give chase.
With just 50m to run, JOHNNY DASH moved up to eyeball Overextend to his outside and had now narrowed the gap to a half-length to the leader Musical Affair.
Over the final 10 strides, JOHNNY DASH flew to the post to reel-in the leading stablemate, then stuck out his head to claim a tough and courageous win in a three-way photo.
JOHNNY DASH stopped the clock in a Time of 1:04.27. That was easily the fastest time of the three events at the trip, with a Class 1 running 1:04.57 and a Maiden running 1:04.99.
Post-race Anna Roper reported: “Hey guys, it was really good today. He was away nicely, I sought of had to come back a bit, he just wasn’t travelling as well as I wanted him too, I got him on the bridle coming to the turn, and thought he hit the line well with that big weight on his back, and I didn’t think he would quiet get there, but he really dug deep and tried really hard today. Obviously once you go up in trip, and he was only first up today, he might be in for a good prep. Well Done!”
A $45,000 purchase from a Magic Millions tried horse sale as a Maiden, JOHNNY DASH is now
Career Summary: 15 Starts = 5 Wins: 2 Seconds: 1 Third, 1 Fourth and Prizemoney: $101,805
CONGRATULATIONS to our Dynamic Owners of JOHNNY DASH: Mrs B K Bennell, Mr S J Koukoulas, Mr S D Murray, Mr T M Barclay, Mr M J Williams, Horsepower Racing, Mr D Gorkic, Mr B W Wheatley, Laughing all the Way, Mr M A Cowley, R Turner, B Lynch, Kiwi Hunter No. 2, Mr B J Walton, L J Brereton, D Robinson, Mr W J Noonan, Stolk Racing, Mr R Geraghty, Mr P J McGuire
Johnny Dash - Winner 5.12.23 from Dynamic Syndications on Vimeo.
The win by JOHNNY DASH recorded Dynamic Syndications 858th Race Win Overall and our 30th Race Win for the new 2023-24 Racing Season.
Onwards and Upwards – Forever Forward !