On Saturday at EAGLE FARM, Dynamic Syndications talented racemare ZOU DE MOON was placed to perfection and WON with ease to claim Race 3, a competitive Class 6 event over 1600m.
Turned out in tremendous order and looking a class above her peers by our Dynamic Team Member, Trainer JASON DEAMER at Newcastle, and rated well by in form jet pilot Ben Thompson, our Zoustar 5yo mare ZOU DE MOON made it a one act affair leading from the time the gates crashed back until the camera flashed.
At no stage was our mare under any pressure to secure her victory.
On our jockey’s way to the track, Adam Watt from Dynamic rang Ben Thompson to ensure that there was no chance that instructions would be confused, or some third party potentially clouding the issue with an unauthorised spiel.
Adam said to Ben, “Simply go to the front and improve on your position.”
Our speed map had the race lacking pace, and we believed Zou De Moon would be capable of getting a soft lead.
“Just peel off sensible fractions in front, and with the pull in the weights and her fitness and ability, they won’t run her down. Don’t ride pretty and don’t take a sit. Control the race and she will do the rest.”
Jason had done his part, presenting ZOU DE MOON in fantastic order, fit, well and ready.
After scratchings, the speed map left us alone in front, and we believed we would have too much toe off the lead in sensible sections, to be run down.
The rest was up to Ben and his horsemanship skills and his ability to count.
As the gates flung back, within 3 hops ZOU DE MOON was a neck in front, and without asking our mare to be urgent, Ben steered a 3-wide course over the first 350m, before crossing to the fence a couple of lengths clear of the pack.
Moving along with nice even splits early, from the 800m to the finish line Ben and Zou De Moon each split (200m), increased the pressure getting those chasing out of their comfort zone.
When the pace came on around the turn, and then the go button was pushed at the 250m, her peers had no answers.
ZOU DE MOON & BEN THOMPSON - Hands & Heels
Under hands and heels over the final 50m, Ben allowed our mare to cruise to victory as the $3.90 favourite to win Race 3, the R&W ASCOT Class 6 Handicap, 1600m of $75,000 picking up the $42,700 first prize cheque.
Importantly, from the 800m she peeled off negative splits, that is where each 200m markers were getting faster. ZOU DE MOON stopped the clock in 1:35.28 coming home the last 600m in 34.43 secs
.
At that speed, it was near impossible for the chasers to make any ground.
To put that into perspective, only the Class 6 1000m ran a faster last 600m on the day.
Our ZOU DE MOON running 34.43 over 1600m, ran the second fastest closing sectional on the 10-race programme.
The other 1600m event on the programme a Benchmark 70 Handicap, the field came home 1.29 secs slower, which equates to approximately 9 lengths.
The facts and figures speak for themselves.
Our mare was placed to perfection, presented in perfect condition, ridden a treat and won accordingly.
ZOU DE MOON (53.5kgs) defeated LINTHORPE LAD (54.5kgs) by 0.66 length with MOB BUSTER (57.5kgs) in third spot 2.85 lengths away from ZOU DE MOON.
This was a well-deserved metro Saturday victory for our ultra-consistent mare.
ZOU DE MOON returns a Winner for the 6th time
To put things into clearer understanding, its hard to get any mare to go through her classes and ZOU DE MOON has achieved this.
She has been placed to advantage throughout her career and in doing so, our owners have 6 photos on the wall and we have successfully beaten the handicapper by keeping her benchmark rating down, so she can be competitive each time she goes to the sport.
It’s a statistical fact, that a “good horse” on average wins one race per seven starts.
However instead of taking 42 race starts to win her 6 races, ZOU DE MOON has only taken 16 Starts. Her strike rate is elite.
Originally, ZOU DE MOON commenced her racing career with Gai & Adrian where she had two preparations consisting of 3 race starts for a debut Win in a Nowra Maiden and a second at Newcastle.
Considered country class, the stable suggested we moved her on to a trainer in an easier grade.
We accepted their advice and sent the mare to excellent provincial trainer JASON DEAMER at NEWCASTLE.
Since coming under Jason’s care, ZOU DE MOON has excelled under his soft and kind, hands-on approach.
For Jason Deamer, this was our mares 13th race start.
ZOU DE MOON has taken her career record to 16 Starts: 6 Wins, 2 Seconds, 1 Third, 1 Fourth and has banked $171,195.
Jason and Adam have planned a patient and successful pathway for ZOU DE MOON, and she has responded well to the programme.
A mare that was always going to be better over a trip once she matured into her frame, our team have been reaping the rewards.
It took us a while to work her out and learn that she was a mare that loves to be on top of the ground.
Whilst she is effective on soft tracks, she doesn’t really let down and we have learnt she resents getting her toes wet.
So, with the past 3 years of La Nina presenting us with constant rain affected tracks, it’s been a real challenge to find the right surfaces, in the right grade at the right trip for ZOU DE MOON to be successful.
This preparation she has had 5 race starts for our ownership team.
Her 3 runs on Good Tracks = 3 Wins, winning first up the MacLean Cup Open (Bm87) over 1400m, also a Warwick Farm Midweek win on a Good Track over 1600m and this most recent win over 1600m on a Good Deck.
Whilst she has had 2 runs on Soft tracks resulting in a second-up 3rd at Eagle Farm on a Soft 5, and an unplaced 8th of 15 on a Soft 7 at Randwick.
To make things happen, we have needed to be flexible with our placements, and chased dry ground where possible. Hence the trip to Grafton when resuming plus the two trips to Eagle Farm.
Having won more than her purchase price and still owning the mare as an asset, we have seen her Sire ZOUSTAR rocket up the rankings to be Australia’s Current Leading Sire ahead of Snitzel and I Am Invincible.
Her Dam MOON DE FRENCH (Malibu Moon) was Gr1 placed at 1700m behind the USA Champion ZENYATTA such was her own class. She won 4 races, she was a Stakes Winner and Gr1 Placed and 4th in a Stakes Race.
MOON DE FRENCH - Stakes Winning Gr1 Placed mare
Now as a Broodmare, MOON DE FRENCH has had 6 Named Foals, 5 Foals to Race = All Winners.
Since owning our mare, in addition to the success achieved by ZOU DE MOON, there have been 2 Black Type horses added to the pedigree:
Stakes Placed DELSTAR (g Star Dabbler) 4 wins-1 at 2-at 5½f, 6f, Fairmount Park Troy Our Boy S., L.
Stakes Placed War Colors (f Revolutionary) 4 wins at 6f, US$118,449, 3d Hawthorne Pat Whitworth Illinois Debutante S., L, Showtime Deb S., L.
Importantly our talented ZOU DE MOON is free of Danehill blood, so she would be desirable to many stud masters and breeders as a broodmare once her racing days conclude so she can be mated to one of the many Danehill line sires.
A $150,000 Magic Millions Yearling Purchase, she was foaled and raised at the outstanding thoroughbred nursery NEWGATE FARM.
When those boys heard that we had purchased their filly at the Magic Millions, several of their team jumped-in to race her with us.
We thank: Newgate S F, Hollymount Stud, Winstar Farm LLC, for their ongoing loyalty and support.
We also thank all many our long-time loyal Dynamic Owners that allow us to get on with business, ensuring we get the best out of the mare both on the racetrack and in building-up her residual value.
ZOU DE MOON in the Winners Stall
CONGRATULATIONS to Our Team of LOYAL DYNAMIC SYNDICATIONS OWNERS who own and race this marvellous mare with us: Dynamic no. 108 Synd, Newgate S F, Hollymount Stud, Winstar Farm LLC, Mr A Pino, Mrs L A Butler, Ellendee, Mr A P Heffernan, Caplan Beet, Mr N B Patterson, Mr S B Troughton, Mr D B Pollard, Bredarbri Stables, Mrs A T Woollett, Mr B M Coopersmith, Mrs G J Storey, Mr G S Dixon, Mr S P Loane, Mr R B McKay, Almighty Racing Pty Ltd.
BELOW: Enjoy the replay
Zou de Moon Winning at Eagle Farm from Dynamic Syndications on Vimeo.
For the Team at Dynamic Syndications, ZOU DE MOON recorded our 8th Winner for this new season, and our 778th Race Win overall.
Onwards and Upwards!