Courage - if you have ever wanted a definition of the word we can supply it: PLATAMONE CASTLE. A further definition ? His owners ! A yearling purchased in NZ and then almost wrecked by unrealistically being punched through the system as a young horse by an over enthusiastic training regime, his career was almost stopped before it started with a threatening injury and as a result, arthritic change presented. He was being punched through the system too hard too early and then suffered a torn suspensory to a fetlock which cost him over a year on the sideline.
Brilliant work by our vet nursed him back to care along with daily TLC from Tony and Roy from Oakridge Spelling Farm. The horse was still a 50/50 call if he would race again.
The best advise we received from our vet was too send the horse to Melbourne, to race on the opposite lead leg, taking stress off the injury site.
Most of our owners stayed loyal and after discussion, the decision to send the horse to MICK PRICE was an easy one.
5 starts in Sydney for 4 placings the horse was still a maiden. MICK PRICE turned then horse into a gutsy, courageous, determined athlete, whilst maintaing his magnificent laid back dude nature.
From 11 starts for Mick Price we have 6 wins.
Friday night was a legend of a night. Knowing the obvious leader was scratched and with a $1.40 favourite as the disclosed back marker, tactically we determined that the way to win the race was to sit at or just off the girth of the expected leader London Stripe. Things worked to plan, with no early pressure they went so slow early that you could have clocked them with an alarm clock instead of a stop watch.
However as they sprinted from the 600m it became a two horse war of attrition. Courage was on display as the leader fought back with a pull in the weights but was not able to match the determination and in a driving finish, PLATAMONE CASTLE prevailed lumping 59.0kgs.
Such was the brilliance of the final 600m, they ran home in 34:62 for the 2040m Cox Plate trip. Kulgrinda in winning the 955m sprint recorded 34:54.
Congrats to our owners and our trainer Mick Price and all his staff for their dedication and brilliant work.
Jockey Dale Smith was awesome yet again who rode to the race tactics with another 100% judgement and effort. PLATAMONE CASTLE and Dale Smith are just a fabulous combination.
Also thanks to PLATAMONE CASTLE for his courage and never say die attitude.
This preparation he has raced 5 occasions for 3 wins, 2 thirds. He has now won a total of $125,218.
Well done to our loyal team!
Dynamic Syn (Mgr: D Watt), DCI Synd, S McCrea, L Armfield, Mrs L Finnigan, Ms L Pearson, G Adler, Mrs L Adler, C Duley & Koss Synd