We started our day listening for scratching and when the field was intact,
Dynamic Syndications sent out a “tweet” on social media just after 9:00am that summed up quickly and easily our thoughts for the day ahead. It read:
"Finally ! Dynamic runner SPECIFIC CHOICE out to a trip he's bred to run & seems to be wanting @atc_races r4 #6 *Worked we'll Tuesday"
It's now a matter of statistical record.
By 2:07pm the result showed that
SPECIFIC CHOICE had smashed his rivals giving them a galloping lesson under the riding of talented jockey
Tye Angland.
SPECIFIC CHOICE 4yo b or br gelding by Lonhro / Lady Of Choice (Redoute's Choice) won race 4 at Royal Randwick - the TAB Rewards Hcp Bm 80 - 2000m. He carried 55.0 kgs ridden by Tye Angland. Margin 3 lengths x 1 length - Time 2:03.73 last 600m 35.26 - Price: $7.00 into $4.60 Prizemoney was $48,750 plus a $20,000 BOBS Extra Bonus.
SPECIFIC CHOICE recorded the
Fastest sectional splits for each split from the 1200m to the winning post. He recorded:
1200m / 71.82 (2nd fastest 72.24)
1000m / 58.96 (2nd fastest 59.40)
800m / 46.36 (2nd fastest 46.90)
600m / 34.66 (2nd fastest 34.86)
400m / 23.00 (2nd fastest 23.52)
200m / 11.88 (2nd fastest 11.96)
His career is now:
16 starts: 3-4-2 & $342,400 (includes $145,000 bonus monies)
SPECIFIC CHOICE was purchased by Dynamic Syndications at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sales for $65,000 with the opinion that on both conformation and in particular pedigree genetics, he could develop into a potential Derby horse.
However his trainer
Chris Waller was not convinced. As a 3yo Chris had told owners that
Specific Choice was a potential
Rosehill Guineas horse but injury intervened.
In fact
Specific Choice has been injury plagued which has thwarted our attempts to get him to a trip.
He career has been:
Preparation #1 = 1start
7 weeks
Preparation #2 = 3 starts
20 weeks
Preparation #3 = 1 start (injured)
29 weeks
Preparation #4 = 3 starts
7 weeks
Preparation #5 = 3 starts
13 weeks
Preparation #6 = 5 starts (current preparation)
As a result, the horse was maintained at the sprints last preparation and earned an
unwanted reputation of a being a non-winner. Every time he went to the track he would start a short price and put in an honest run but didn't win. However Chris was fighting both soundness and a trait within the horse that saw him wanting to go too hard early and until Chris could teach him to settle, he was convinced the horse would not be able to run beyond a mile.
After another spell
SPECIFIC CHOICE returned to the track.
Returning to the stables this preparation, Chris was of the opinion that he was a sprinter who would get out to a mile.
Differing views between owners and trainer followed but to his ultimate professionalism, Chris understood the desires of the owners to see their horse over further ground and a plan was hatched.
Owners were optimistic we would be getting
Specific Choice out to a trip and we would see if he would live up to our belief in him. This time in, he was far more mature and ready to be a racehorse. Unlike previous experiences, he went straight to sleep under saddle, surprising all of us how he had changed.
After 2 runs at 1200m we were confident that the horse would be very competitive at 1400m.
Having been given a perfect ride by
Jay Ford, the horse was fourth at Randwick and on the surface appeared disappointing but when our jockey returned to scale he was enthusiastic but said we were wasting our time at the sprints, he needed to get straight out to 2000m. Unfortunately the racing calendar was terrible and nothing suitable was to be found.
He had to run somewhere so we bit the bullet and went back to mid-week grade at 1400m again.
With
Jay Ford back aboard, again the horse started short in the market but got well back and ran on late but wasn't competitive beaten over 3 lengths.
Media and Social Media along with punters were quick to highlight their misunderstanding of the situation. However
Jay Ford again reported that unless we went to 2000m we were wasting our time.
Chris Waller wasn't confident that
Specific Choice had the right lead in programme to be tough at the end of 2000m but acknowledged our desire to get him out to 2000m.
Despite the cautiousness of Chris - one way or another, we were going to find out.
When acceptances came out we were exceptionally confident we could win the race. We believed all we needed was a conservative ride and a little luck.
Speed maps had shown that there wasn't much to no speed in the race and it would be a muddling tempo and with inexperienced apprentices on the stables two top weighted horses and the favourite not weighted well here and going to get too far back off a slow tempo and firm track, she may find it tough to challenge our horse. We predicted we would be back in the last couple with stablemate and favourite Siagon Tea. We believed we were thrown into the race at the weights and the distance was perfect. He was now fit, injury free and ready.
However the variable that impacted the most on the day was the strong Southerly that was blowing into the faces of the field down the back straight.
Instructions to our owners and importantly to
Tye Angland were simple. "He's trying to get the trip for the first time so try to help him get it. He will get back in the field. Just ride him conservatively early and stay tucked in behind them down the back keeping out of the wind. Then from the 600m come out around them wide and balance up. If he lets down like he can over the shorts you will win."
Chris Waller joined us and said to Tye: "simply the best ride will win the race, there is not much between all the stablemates."
Tye was confident, our team were confident. So
Tye and Specific Choice went out to do their work.
We could not have asked for any better from the pair.
Tye Angland was so cool, so polished and so professional. The horse responded to him. Tye rode the horse exactly how we had requested. The race unfolded as we anticipated it would on our speed maps. The race turned into a dawdle early and then a sit and sprint from the 600m. At the 650m the field started to crank it up and Tye had
Specific Choice back in last spot, shifted out to track up behind the field until the home turn then slipped out to be the widest runner on straightening.
In a couple of bounds our big horse ambled up to the leaders and then Tye hit the go button. In a few strides the race was over. He was off and gone. By the 100m mark we were 4 lengths in front and Tye allowed
Specific Choice to roll to the line hands and heels.
Our team of owners were delirious ! Our belief in the horse which was well founded proved correct.
Chris Waller had skilfully turned around a handy horse into a Saturday class horse and had taught him to settle and sprint at the end of a long trip.
Tye Angland had delivered a 10 out of 10 ride.
Most importantly, we acknowledge and thank top quality jockey
Jay Ford for his previous two rides and his knowledge and experience - confirming he wanted the 2000m.
It was well documented that
SPECIFIC CHOICE hadn't won a race since November 2012 and well documented he had been a beaten favourite on 6 occasions. He was always short in the market because of his honest runs. Now we have unearthed his ability at 2000m, we are hopeful to see more race wins.
Unfortunately yet again we will struggle over the next few weeks to find a suitable race due to limitations in the racing calendar. However being patient has its own rewards.
Congratulations to our Dynamic Team of Owners:
Dynamic Syndications Racing Synd, R Stojkovski, D S Chow, Estate of the Late P R Samios, Miss A J Hayes, Weston Creek Racing Synd, Howrushun Synd, Whitton Duke Racing Synd, Dynamic Syndications No 15 Synd & Dynamic Syndications No 16 Synd
Also congratulations to the Team at Waller Racing and to Tye Angland.
