Hawkesbury Race Clubs feature 1600m event the “ROWLEY MILE” (1600m) on Thursday afternoon 24th August was won by Dynamic Syndications outstanding galloper ARBEITSAM (4yo Snitzel ex Workhard) the Odds-On ($1.40) Favourite is trained by GAI WATERHOUSE and ADRIAN BOTT.
Congratulations to the Ownership Team of ARBEITSAM: Dynamic Syndications Racing (Mgr: D Watt), P Roberts, Ms M Roberts, G Timmony, H Sookias, Mrs S Halliwell, M Wolens, S Loane, D Batchelor, J Yianni, J Allen, Mrs C Read, C J R Racing (Mgr: C Deeb), R Gall, N Honey, L Seminara, Mrs R Budd, G Rassos & L Woolhouse
Event Summary: (Race 7) ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES HAWKESBURY ROWLEY MILE (1600m)
Listed Race of $150,000. 1st Place: $84,750.
ARBEITSAM ($1.40) defeated KINGSGUARD ($14) by 0.93 length with REIBY THE RED ($21) 0.54 length back in third.
Time: 1:35.31 - Last 600m 34.35 secs. This was the fastest running of the ROWLEY MILE since it became a Stakes Race in 2010 eclipsing the 1:35.48 recorded by Mouro in 2013.
The win by ARBEITSAM has taken his career tally to 13 starts: 6-2-3 $470,150.
ARBEITSAM has now won 4 of his past 5 starts along with a photo finish second.
It was ARBEITSAM’s 7 race start this preparation for 4 wins-2 seconds.
ARBEITSAM has become Gai Waterhouse’s sixth winner of the race and the first for the exciting Waterhouse / Bott training partnership.
Also it was the first victory for jockey Tim Clark in Hawkesbury’s feature race and adds nicely to Dynamic Syndications constantly growing resume of black-type successes.
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have done a wonderful job polishing our horse from a Wyong maiden winner on debut to a Stakes Winner and claiming 6 races in 13 starts. Especially considering we have been up and back in distances, our horse is thriving under their watchful eyes and outstanding horse husbandry and care.
Despite being given the visitors draw of barrier 10 of 10, the instructions were simple for Tim Clark. “Don’t change a thing – Jump and go forward however if another rider wanted to destroy any chance of their mounts by pressuring you early, let them go and take a sit.”
ARBEITSAM is as tough as nails, rock hard fit and is flying in his races against quality Saturday Class opposition so we were confident.
He was beautifully placed in this event having beaten the handicapper to be carrying 55.0kgs just 1.0kgs over the limit. However it certainly wasn’t a one horse race.
ARBEITSAM was meeting previous Gr1 winner & twice Gr1 placed LASQUETI SPRIT (Curtis), along with Gr3 winner & twice Gr3 placed ELLE LOU (Waller), last start Rosehill Open Company winner KINGSGUARD (Hawkes), REIBY THE RED (Attard) city Saturday performer, also PELETHRONIUS (Pfieffer) a winner of 7 of 14 starts, last start Coffs Harbour Cup winner DARCI’S AFFAIR (Murray), ZAUNKONIG (Snowden) also had claims and has been set for the race, whilst Irish import KINEMA (Waller) has obvious talent on exposed form.
ARBEITSAM had made nice progression through restricted 3yo company and then at his most recent start, he stepped up taking on the older horses at Open Company and won with authority. However, this was another jump in class again. He was taking on a stakes race for the first time.
Despite winning his open company race over 1800m last start,
ARBEITSAM was still stepping up to
Stakes-Class for the first time and despite the fact that all indicators of Times, Weights and Ratings had the horse clearly on top, hence his short Odds-On price, it’s still nerve wracking for owners as the chase their dreams of
Black Type Success.
Further, they were carrying the added pressure that
there hadn’t been an Odds-On favourite win the event in the past 20 years, so it’s that weight of expectation which gets owners nerves tingling.
However our owners and Tim didn’t have to stress, as our tough tradesman ARBEITSAM jumped well and cruised forward to take control of the race.
Tim rated ARBEITSAM beautifully and waited until just past the 600m mark before slipping him some rein and the pair dashed forward and won with authority.
It’s more stress relief than a euphoria of the win that overcomes owners and connections.
Gai Waterhouse would not hear of anything but a dominant win by ARBEITSAM and again the Champion Trainer was correct.
“I don’t have a horse going better in my stables than Arbeitsam. He’s so versatile and very few horses can handle going up and back in distances. He’s very good but I really don’t know yet how good because we haven’t got to the bottom of him.” Gai said.
Adrian Bott told Sky Thoroughbred Central "We are thinking about backing him up in the Wyong Cup but we are mindful of how long he has been up this campaign.
"It was a good effort dropping back in trip (from 1800m). It showed his versatility.
"I'm delighted for the horse and his owners Dynamic Syndications."
The Listed Wyong Gold Cup (2100m) is on Friday week.
Tim Clark said although there was some pressure from the placegetters, he was in control.
"He always feels like he's got a bit more to give," he said.
"He really dug deep.
"To win three Saturday races and a Listed race, it's a remarkable job by Gai and Adrian."
With part one of the Black-Type Double Gai had on her radar in our possession, the champion trainer is keen to now take ARBEITSAM to Wyong on Friday 1st September to test the horse in the
$160,000 Wyong Gold Cup – a Listed Race over 2100m and a race she feels is tailor made for ARBEITSAM.
Gai told connections early in the campaign that to be an elite Gr1 miler, your horse has to be a genuine stakes class horse at 2,000m plus. We’ve all listened and Gai and Adrian have set the horse on the road to have a crack at more stakes class events.
The ROWLEY MILE Win became Dynamic Syndications 493rd Race Win and our 6th Win during the Month of August to start the new racing season.
HISTORY OF THE ROWLEY MILE
The Hawkesbury Rowley Mile is a $150,000 Listed Race under Open Handicap conditions at 1600m
First run in 1881, there were 24 years that it hasn’t been run so in 2017 this was the 112th edition of this time-honoured feature event.
The race takes its name from the famous “Rowley Mile” Course at Newmarket in the UK.
Named after ‘Old Rowley’, also known as King Charles the 2nd, the site of the course was the stamping ground for the King and his horse. It was King Charles who first put equine pursuits into Newmarket and the Rowley Mile was soon a course in its own right.
The Hawkesbury District racing pioneers in 1865 were granted 200 acres of untouched bush land and fashioned a racecourse. After 6 years of clearing and development the first race meeting was conducted in 1871. Hawkesbury racecourse has been in continuous use for over 135 years.
Hawkesbury Racecourse is 65km west of the Sydney CBD, between Richmond and Windsor. The race track, has a spectacular backdrop of the Blue Mountains and the grandstand showcases a scenic panorama of the Grose Valley.
The Rowley Mile is a Listed Race under Open Handicap conditions over 1600m.
In 2010 the race was granted Black –Type status.
Arbeitsam’s 2017 win in 1:35.31 became the fastest run race since earning Black Type Status eclipsing Mouro in 2013 who recorded 1:35.48.
Prior to becoming a Stakes Race, the Race Record is held by Beauty Watch in 2007 who recorded 1:33.69 whilst the second fastest edition was set in 2002 by Perfect Paradise who ran 1:34.60.
Gai Waterhouse had previously won the Rowley Mile with - Adamantly (2001), Fiery Venture (2003), Beauty Watch (2007), Rabbuka (2008), The Offer (2015) and now adds Arbeitsam (2017).
Year Rowley Mile Winners Trainer Surface Odds Mgn Time
2017 ARBEITSAM 4yyo/G GAI WATERHOUSE / ADRIAN BOTT Good $1.40 0.93 1:35.31
2016 MCCREERY 4yo/G 54 CHRIS WALLER Good 10-9 1.3L 1:36.07
2015 THE OFFER 6yo/G 61 GAI WATERHOUSE Good 7-1 1.0L 1:36.11
2014 MR CHARD 7yo/H 54 TONY MC EVOY Slow 5-1 L 0.5 1:38.09
2013 MOURO 3yo/C 54 TONY MC EVOY Good 13-2 0.1 1:35.48
2012 STAR OF OCTAGONAL 5yo/G TODD HOWLETT Dead 13-2 0.2 1:35.61
2011 KEEPIN' THE DREAM 6yo/G 55.5 JIM & GREG LEE Slow 11-1 1.0 1:37.87
2010 SNOW ALERT 4yo/G 53.0 CHRIS WALLER Dead 5-1 0.2 1:36.62
2009 LYNCEAN ACADEMY 5yo/G 54.0 GUY WALTER Good 2-1 2.0 1:35.82
2008 RABBUKA 4yo/G 53.0 GAI WATERHOUSE Dead 5-2 0.2 1:34.90
2007 BEAUTY WATCH 4yo/M 57.5 GAI WATERHOUSE Good 6-4 1.3 1:33.69
2006 FIGHTING FUND 4yo/G 51.5 GUY WALTER Good 15 0.2 1:35.65
2005 THE MAN 7yo/G 54.5 GWENDA MARKWELL Good 7 1.3 1:35.16
2004 FULL ON MAGIC 5yo/G 53.0 LOUISE MUNCE Good 8 0.2 1:34.80
2003 FIERY VENTURE 3yo/G 53.5 GAI WATERHOUSE Slow 11-8 0.5 1:38.72
2002 PERFECT PARADISE 5yo/G 57.5 DAVID THROSBY Good 5 0.4 1:34.60
2001 ADAMANTLY 4yo/G 57.0 GAI WATERHOUSE Good 9-2 1.2 1:34.05
Not run between 1997 and 2000.
Only the Hawkesbury Gold Cup, initially run as the Grand Handicap and Hawkesbury Guineas – both introduced in 1871 – are older races than the “Rowley Mile”.
The Rowley Mile has enjoyed relative continuity of programming over its lengthy history.
The intrusion of the Second World War saw the race lapse 9 years from 1942-50, and then programming difficulties for 11 years between 1963-73 and 4 years between 1997-2000 also prevented it being run.
Racing NSW approved the restoration of the Rowley Mile in 2001, and it has been staged every year since.
The race is an important event on the club's annual racing calendar. It has had a few different time slots over the years, but it has always been a race of historic significance and very competitive, even if the field sizes have lacked big numbers at times.