It may have been Golden Slipper Day at Rosehill but owners of Dynamic 3yo HAIR OF THE DOG (Tale of the Cat ex Hot Ticket) weren’t concerned about the pomp, pageantry and partying taking place at the Sydney meeting. 

Their eyes were firmly focused on their own horse who was contesting race 5 on the programme at Lismore, the very exotically named - RICHMOND WASTE & CRAFTSMAN HOMES RICHMOND VALLEY – WOODLAWN CUP – Class 1 Handicap 1200m.

Our horse was Top Weight and an Odds On Favourite but was being asked to lump 59.0kgs against this field which had several genuine winning hopes on paper including the second favourite Our Mate Muz (56.5kgs) who had met Hair Of The Dog at our most recent start and defeated him by 1.3 lengths and yet in this event we met him 0.5kgs worse under the Handicap and then, after a 2.0kgs claim, we would need to spot that runner 2.5kgs. 

Trainer Matthew Dunn was very confident that Hair Of The (HOT) Dog was working well and despite not being a big horse, he still had the class and ability to peel off strong sectionals off the front which we believed would prove too difficult for his opponents to run him down.

So the plan was simple – go to the front and improve on our position ! 

HOT DOG was only facing the starter for the third time in his career, having won impressively on debut when leading throughout and winning over 1002m in Class Record Time before at his second race, bungling the start and racing wide throughout, being scrubbed along to stay in touch with the leaders before finishing strongly to run an eye-catching third, beaten 2.3 lengths which was 1.3 lengths behind Our Mate Muz who we were meeting again here in this event.

Rated perfectly in this event by leading Northern Rivers based jockey Stephen Tracey, HOT DOG jumped quickly and was never headed. He won in a quick 1:09.82 coming home in a fast 34.65 off the front proving mathematically too quick for his peers to catch on a track which was only rated a Good 4.

In fact, this time was so good that we just missed out by only 2 / 100ths of a second, the Class Record that was set by Celestial Dust back on 25 February 2002 (13 years ago) which stands at 1:09.80 established when that horse carried 57.0kgs which was 2.0kgs less.

However it wasn’t all beer and skittles ! It was a torrid run as the second favourite sat at our girth throughout and annoyedHOT DOG every step of the way. It was obvious that its connections had planned to pressure us all the way and trust that their big pull in the weights would take its toll on us over the concluding stages.

However there is an undeniable rule in racing that class will prevail and that’s what happened as HOT DOG dug deep and with a courageous effort, refused to be headed and on strength of character and will, staved off the concerted efforts of the runner up. 

The margin was tight being a short half head by 1 length however HOT DOG had been attacked throughout the race and was under great pressure the final 200m. Despite this, connections were never in a position to think that they would lose such was the fight in HOT DOG.

There was an almighty roar go up at Rosehill as our horse with such a great name is developing a cult following and it was obvious from the reactions that many of the Sydney punters had backed him. 

Congratulations to a super Team of long term, loyal Dynamic Owners that race HAIR OF THE DOG: Dynamic Syndications Racing, Mr K R Ford, Mr D J Henry, Mrs V L Henry, Ms P L Leeper, Mr B E Outram, Mr M Gocher, Mr L P Kelly, Mr P M Bonilla, Craigphil, Mr A Beattie, Mr P J Leeming, Brad & Scott, Mr J Yianni, Mr S F Duggan, Mr M W Priddy, Mr B J Todd, Mr T J Lewtas.

This takes his total to 3 starts: 2 wins, 1 third and $24,025 including $10,000 in BOBS Bonuses. 

He also became Dynamic Syndications 415th Race Win and Dynamic’s 29th Race Win for this 2014/15 Racing Season. 

Special Mention goes to one particular owner in the horse Mr Stephen Duggan. Stephen has been with Dynamic a long time and every horse he has been in the ownership with Dynamic Syndications has won. 

This win was Stephen’s 17th Race Win – Congratulations !