Whilst her racing in colours that may not be instantly recognisable to many of our Owners and Followers, our 5yo Mare SONORA was back in the Winners Circle on Friday Night at Canterbury for the mighty Ciaron Maher Racing Team.
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SONORA was sent out $2.40 favourite in a tricky affair on paper, but as we predicted, she made it a one act affair when bowling along in front under Tommy Berry, as our Dynamic Duo stole the race in the middle stages peeling off slow sectionals, turning the race into a sit and sprint around the home turn, and none of her peers could match her turn of hoof despite SONORA lumping 61.0kgs.
SONORA went on to score an eased down, hands and heels to the post, 1.2 length victory over Buba (54.0kgs) and Hope Uno (55.0kgs) back in third place. Despite the significant weight disadvantage, especially difficult on a mare, SONORA was a few grades better than her peers in this event and Tommy Berry took bad luck out of the equation and produced an enjoyable to watch sit and steer.
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SONORA 5yo Bay Mare by SO YOU THINK (NZ) from SPURS AND SASHES
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CONGRATULATIONS to her Dynamic Ownership Team: Segenhoe Thoroughbreds Australia, Dynamic Syndications Racing, Ms J Stewart, Mr L E Neven, Mr J M Nassim, Mr J P Brennan, Mr T M Barclay, Mr S Najda, Mr S D Murray, Dr F A Novy, Mr J P Kennedy
Trainer: Mr Ciaron Maher (Warwick Farm)
Racing Colours: Red, Yellow Seams And Dynamic Syndications Red Cap
Career Summary: 20 starts = 5 Wins: 1 Second: 3 Thirds: 2 Fourths and Prizemoney: $224,165
Distance Wins: 1300/1550m
SONORA has won over 1300m at Randwick, 1400m at Sandown and 1550m at Canterbury and has been placed at Sandown and Caulfield plus she’s run fourth at Randwick and Flemington. She also won at Ararat and Kilmore.
Importantly for her ownership team, she has picked up 5 photos for the wall and 19 prize cheques in a 20-start racing career to date.
SONORA races in a hybrid set of racing colours, a combination representing the 50% co-ownership between Segenhoe Studs wearing their Red Jacket and Yellow seams, with Dynamic Syndications 50% Ownership of our Red Cap and she carriers our Dynamic Syndications White Blinkers.
Our Team at Dynamic Syndications have a terrific working relationship with Kevin Maloney and his Segenhoe Stud operation, and with Peter O’Brien who manages the farm and the breeding operation.
Team Dynamic purchased I AM ME from their draft and racing SONORA is further success for us.
At the Magic Millions in 2024 Dynamic Syndications purchased a terrific colt from their draft by exciting first crop sire BIVOUAC (by Exceed And Excel) from HOUSTON BENEFACTOR.
We had purchased a filly out of this mare a few years earlier named WE HAVE LIFT OFF (by Exceed And Excel) and she was stakes performed and we felt this BIVOUAC Colt who is actually her 3/4 Brother, has the opportunity to be an outstanding racing prospect.
After purchase, the first person to buy into the colt was Kevin Maloney the breeder. He grabbed 10%. Kevin was delighted we had purchased the colt and it was heading to Ciaron Maher, and wanted to continue our association and keep enjoying the success.
BELOW : WE HAVE LIFT OFF
3/4 Sister to our BIVOUAC x HOUSTON BENEFACTOR Colt
SONORA showed great promise earlier in her career but last year things didn’t quite work out as planned after putting together back-to-back city wins.
Twice now she has been quirky and put in races where she has dropped out to finish well back. However, despite every exhaustive determination as to why she does that, it remains a conundrum.
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Her most recent start at Randwick on the Kensington track, she put in a much more pleasing effort, when a close-up 4th, but just found the heavy weight and stepping up to 1550m a challenge to her fitness. Back at 1550m here at Canterbury, and fitter for her last start, we found an ideal event, a Benchmark 72 for 5yo Mares. Originally 9 acceptors, it looked on paper as if SONORA should win with ease, and four peers may have thought the same as they chose not to take her on, leaving only 5 runners to face the starter, but from the time they had run 200m, the race was effectively over when SONORA took control and Tommy Berry made the race a procession.
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A lovely type with a solid female family behind her, SONORA will make into a lovely broodmare when her career changes from the racetrack to the breeding barn.
However, in the interim, there is plenty of opportunity to add further racetrack success to her already successful racing record.
Sonora - Winner 9.2.24 from Dynamic Syndications on Vimeo.
SONORA recorded Dynamic Syndications 41st Race Win for the current season.
She also recorded our 869th Race Win Overall.
Johann Gerard-Dubord is the Sydney Foreman - Ciaron Maher Racing
A big thank you also goes to the hard-working team at Ciaron Maher Racing that keep churning out the winners for their stable and our Dynamic Owners.
Onwards and Upwards – Forever Forward!