DADDY FRANK won the Hygain Advanced Nutrition Maiden Plate over 2103m on a Good 4, in a Race Time: 2:14.55.
Our 3yo gelding DADDY FRANK (by FRANKEL (GB) from EVENING ROSE) took his career record to:
4 Starts = 1:1:1 and Prizemoney: $33,300 when at his fourth start, and first time out to 2100m he was courageous to claim victory on Saturday 13 May at Echuca.
DADDY FRANK, (59.5kgs) trained by Ciaron Maher & David Eustace at Ballarat, was ridden by Mitchell Aitken and was successful defeating DISTURBIA (57.5kgs) by 0.3 length with third placed THE NEGOTIATOR (59.5kgs) 4.05 lengths away.
A typical FRANKEL who was always going to be a horse that would achieve success at distances beyond 2000m, the Team at Dynamic Syndications and Ciaron Maher Racing took advantage of our trainers two state training facilities and targeted this event over 2103m because of: (a) its Distance, (b) Grade, and most importantly, (c) this race carried a SUPER VOBIS Owners Bonus of $8,400 for qualified horses, which DADDY FRANK is eligible. So, this Maiden win carried earnings cheque of $23,250.
Our horse was facing the starter for the fourth time in his career, all this preparation. He had put the writing on the wall with some promising foundation building races. On debut, he was 3rd over 1400m at Kembla, then second-up he was 5th over 1600m at Newcastle before a last start 2nd at Bathurst over 1800m. Now he’s a winner at 2103m at Echuca.
In this event, his class and ability shone through to claim victory. The runner-up DISTURBIA ran an excellent race and with the 2.0kgs pull in the weights looked to have a winning 3 length lead at the 150m mark. However, a gutsy effort to chase the leader and reel it in, saw our 3yo gather in and go past the front runner over the final 25m to score a narrow but widening victory. Such was the domination of these two gallopers that third place went to The Negotiator some 4.05 lengths away and the rest of the field was spread right out over 30 lengths.
It was a masterful placement, and our 3yo will have gained great confidence from his strong effort.
Further, our owners will also gain confidence seeing that the first time we took their horse out to a preferred trip on pedigree, he got the chocolates.
Certainly, there are far more wins available to DADDY FRANK and we feel for the connections of the runner-up who were unlucky to run into DADDY FRANK at Echuca.
We were sent to the barriers as a $5.50 equal second favourite behind the $4.60 fav Laurion (6th beaten 11 lengths) and $5.50 Love Nest (9th beaten 14 lengths).
Jumping away cleanly, DADDY FRANK strolled forward with eventual runner-up Disturbia moving up on our outside. By the time the field had run 200m, passing the winning post the first time with a lap of the circuit to run, Jockey Mitchell Aitken had worked across the face of the field to land on the fence with Disturbia sitting at our girth to the outside of us.
Out of the home straight and running up to the 1600m market, our rider took hold and allowed Disturbia to roll forward to the fence giving DADDY FRANK the perfect trail on the back of the leader with cover, whilst 20/1 chance Mutsuhito pushing up to give chase to the leader giving DADDY FRANK Perfect cover.
Passing the 1000m at the top of the back straight there had been no change in order but the field had spread out over a dozen length. DADDY FRANK was two lengths behind Disturbia whilst Mutsuhito’s rider dropped off the pace, back to settle eyeballing our horse.
Passing the 800m marker down the side, the tempo began to increase as Mutsuhito upped the ante to give chase to the leader and the horse running fourth Itsukushima, who would finish 5th beaten 5 lengths, pushed up to try and put us into a pocket on the fence.
As the field passed the 600m marker, the leader was travelling nicely and those running second and third were under hard riding. It’s here that Mitchel pushed the go button on Daddy Frank and our horse began to give chase but was more grinding into the race than showing a turn of foot.
As the field began the swing around the home bend, the race broke into two sections with the winner still two lengths to the good of Itsukushima with Daddy Frank being urged along a head back in third, and a break of 5 lengths to the rest of the field.
As the field straightened at the 380m for the run home, Mitchel angled DADDY FRANK to the outside of the leader, as Itsukushima began to yield.
At the 200m Disturbia kicked clear, three lengths in front of DADDY FRANK with Itsukushima now a length off us in third, offering no resistance.
Now at the 150m most would consider the leader was home, but DADDY FRANK would not be denied. Stride by stride, DADDY FRANK ate into the lead.
At the 100m Disturbia was still a length and a half in front and going strongly, whilst DADDY FRANK was straining every muscle and sinew to catch the leader, yet the margin looked too great.
DADDY FRANK was a bulldog in the fight and hit the line so strongly that he headed the leader 25m from the post and was hands and heels to the line. He put a neck margin on the runner-up.
Most other horses in this grade would have waved the white flag at the 200m but DADDY FRANK proved that courage and class prevails.
CONGRATULATIONS to the Team of DYNAMIC OWNERS that race DADDY FRANK: Dynamic Syndications Racing, Yu Long Investments, Dynamic no. 130, Mr S R Freeman, Mr P J Woollett, Mrs A T Woollett, Mr D Horne, Mrs K L Harliwich, Mr L Harliwich, Mr P A Craig, Mrs K Corby, Mrs H Corby, Mrs H M C McCleary, Mr P McCleary, Mr A Mitchell, Mr F Bazik, Mr J P Maxwell, Mr G G Gill, Mrs P Smith.
Daddy Frank - Echuca Winner 13.5.23 from Dynamic Syndications on Vimeo.
The win by DADDY FRANK was yet another trained for us by CIARON MAHER RACING.
This victory took Dynamic Syndications overall tally to 817 Race Wins and our 47th Race Win for this current season.
He also became Dynamic Syndications 286th individual winner from 329 individual runners = 86.9%
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Also, the victory continues the amazing season CIARON MAHER and DAVID EUSTACE and all the Team at CIARON MAHER RACING are enjoying.
It is a FACT that CIARON MAHER RACING are currently Australia’s Leading Stable.
They are 36.5 Wins ahead of Chris Waller Racing.
Chris Waller has started 1,865 runners which is 396 (26.4%) MORE than CIARON MAHER Racing who have started 1,496 runners.
CIARON MAHER & DAVID EUSTACE have produced 270 Individual Winners at a Strike Rate of 18.4%
CHRIS WALLER has produced 233.5 Individual Winners (15.6% less) at a Strike Rate of 12.5%.
So, as a percentage, Waller has started 26.4% (396) More Runners for 36.5 (15.6%) less Winners.
Chris Waller has trained 11 Gr1 Winners & 10 Placed from 83 Runners whilst Maher & Eustace have trained 9 Gr1 Winners & 13 Placed from 70 Runners.
It’s also important to be aware that the Chris Waller Stables figures are inflated because they include significant input from the much weaker Queensland racing jurisdiction. Waller has stables in this jurisdiction whilst Maher & Eustace do not.
Chris Waller has started 397 runners in Queensland for 61.5 Wins at a strike rate of 15.6% whilst Ciaron Maher have only taken 14 runners to Queensland for 1 Winner.
So, if it wasn’t for the weaker Queensland grade keeping their stable afloat, Chris Waller Racing would fall further behind.
Queensland racing has attributed 61.5 race wins for this season to Waller’s tally from that jurisdiction compared to Ciaron Maher Racing’s tally of just 1.
Therefore 60.5 of the 233.5 wins by Waller this season are from Queensland.
That’s a massive 25.9% of Waller’s Winners are in Queensland with 39.5 in the Metropolitan area, 21 Provincial and 1 Country.
It’s also important to note that Waller Racing has started 396 more starers than Maher & Eustace. This figure correlates with their Queensland stable of 397 Runners by Waller.
Whilst much of the parochial Sydney press focuses on Sydney’s leading stable, it is an inconvenient truth for many scribes that the MAHER & EUSTACE Team are superior at winning races for their Owners and do so with a significantly superior strike rate.
There is no coincidence that Dynamic Syndications support Australia’s Leading Stable with high quality yearlings. The stats speak for themselves, and we work in together so we can place our horses to advantage.
It will be fascinating to watch how the balance of 11 weeks this season unfolds, and can Waller catch the high-flying Maher & Eustace juggernaut.