Courage and Class on Display as HI DUBAI Scores Determined WIN at Rosehill

It was a race we had identified as a target before she returned to the sport from a spell. The CAPTIVANT @ KIA ORA HANDICAP (1100m) Benchmark 78 Handicap, Three-Years-Old and Upwards, Fillies and Mares.

The foundations had been laid and then, with pre-determined race tactics after the barrier draw and speed maps had been studied, we believed HI DUBAI had the pace to lead the fence. With the rail so far out, and on a rain affected track at Rosehill, tactically the better way to ride that surface in such conditions is to be up-and-in, which puts you on speed closest to the rail. This was the tactic that gun apprentice Braith Knock followed for Team Dynamic and our mare’s co-ownership team. 



HI DUBAI was tough, strong, and she was courageous. She lumped top-weight and she also produced the fastest last 600m of all 10 races on the programme, leading all the way when on a Soft 7 surface she came home in 34.68 secs. 



However, it was certainly not going to be easy to lead the whole way for a variety of reasons.

The biggest drawback was the big weight she was asked to carry against her own sex. 

Mares traditionally don’t carry big weights well. HI DUBAI was being asked to lump 61.0kgs on a 53.0kg limit. We have been having good success with apprentice Braith Knock and at this time of year, his 2.0kg claim is a major advantage especially on wet tracks. So, we would carry 59.0kgs after the claim. 

However, we were still a clear top-weight. We were carrying a kilo more than the second top-weight West of Dalby with 58.0ks and next was Lonhro’s Queen at 57.5kgs. With 1.5 kgs = approximately 1 length, we were giving away a big disadvantage to her peers. The eventual runner-up Savagery Vibe only carried 54.0kgs so had a 5.0kg pull = approximately 3.25 length advantage over HI DUBAI, whilst the third placed Art’s Alive also took a claim to carry only 53.0kgs which was a 6 kg pull = 4 lengths advantage. 

Also, when you lead, you do a lot of physical work punching through the breeze and other jockey’s look to slipstream and allow their mounts to challenge late having done zero of the hard early work. 

With this speed map and barrier draw, we believed we wanted to hold out both Savagery Vibe and Queen Of The Mile who we expected to be positive, so we needed to use extra petrol early to gain our spot and control the tempo then cross over to the fence, which under the big weight would leave us vulnerable and exposed late. 





Our gameplan was simple. To get her away and be positive early and once establishing a lead, drop anchor and give her a breather under the big weight by peeling off slow midrace sectionals. Then before the home turn, push the “go button” and turn it into a true sprint home, getting the opposition off the bit chasing.

Even though they had big weight pulls, we were banking on the class and toughness of our mare rising through to fend off her rivals and that’s how it panned out. 



Although over the final couple of strides our mare was given a significant whack by the runner-up who veered out sharply onto HI DUBAI turning her nearly sideways, our mare still refused to yield. 



This is exactly how the race unfolded and a brilliant piece of tempo judgement by Braith between the 800m to the 400m won the race, when he slowed the field right down getting away with less effort, to have as much petrol as possible the concluding stages. 

The race played out as we had envisaged on paper.

Our mare looked a treat and had too much class and determination. A lesser horse would have folded under pressure. 

There were no excuses for the beaten brigade who all had their chances and big weight pulls.
 


As the camera flashed, HI DUBAI was fighting through the line and had her head clear of her rivals.

Luke Marlow Racecall: “Down the side they go, frontrunner Hi Dubai leads by a narrow margin about a head on Arts Alive, behind them getting into the one/one West of Dalby - nice riding there by Clark, it's on the outside of Queen of the Mile, as they turn, Savagery Vibe railing. Into the straight Hi Dubai led from Arts Alive, coming on three-wide West of Dalby now cruising up, further back Queen of the Mile, Savagery Vibe. Halfway down the running it’s Hi Dubai the leader from Arts Alive, West of Dalby, Savagery Vibe runs up behind them. Hi Dubai led 100 metres to go, Savagery Vibe running out of room behind, she's trying to squeeze through on the rails, Arts Alive still there, Hi Dubai just in front …. I think it scrambled home! From Savagery Vibe, Arts Alive in a thrilling finish. Up on the outside, closing for 4th was Let's Go Again, then came Useapin tight for room late, followed by Lonhro’s Queen and Queen of the Mile.”

Sky Channel’s Gavin Carmody chimes-in to summarise: “Oh, she was there to be beaten, and they were coming at her thick and fast. Hi, Dubai, she will stave them all off here, under the urgings Braith Knock on board, the Ciaron Maher trained mare will win over the Victorian, who kept pinching those inside runs in Savagery Vibe, but the mare Hi Dubai, third-up, defies the lot of them, after race 6 from Rosehill.

“Gee she deserve that!”



Sydney Stable foreman Johann Gerard-Dubord (Aussie Joh) responded: “She deserved it. It was the right set up. Third-up, very fit, stepping-up to 1100m, some give in the track. Yeah, all boxes were ticked, but she had to be tough, and we would like a few more like her. 

“She was beaten a few times down the straight, but she just kept kicking. Obviously, the claim helped, but yeah, she deserved that. She's been a very consistent mare. Good to get another winner from Dynamic. They've had a very good couple of weeks and like I said, she deserved that. 

“So, it's been a plan to give a bit of time between 1st and 2nd up runs and come here today and yeah, everything worked out well. She jumped, was able to control. And kept kicking.”

Gavin Carmody added: “Yeah, they came at her thick and fast, but she was in for the fight.”

Aussie Joh agreed: “They did. Yeah, they did. But the fact she's very fit, and such a tough mare. Yeah, obviously she got the job done, but it was a long, long way down the straight. Thank you.”





Kayla Nisbet for Sky Channel then says to apprentice jockey Braith Knock: “Well Braith, you would have been hoping that that winning post was coming up 50 metres quicker!”

Braith answered: “Yeah, I was a little bit worried there late, she just wanted to get out a little bit. I thought we were quite tired late, but battled to the line strong enough.”

Kayla added-in: “She just doesn't know how to run a bad race.”

Braith responded: “Yeah, we came out with the intent to, I just wanted to get to the fence pretty much, and she kind of stargazed and next minute we were 3 (lengths) in front by the feel of it. And I just wanted to make sure we had that mid-race breather. It takes quite a while actually to wind-up. So, I was just wanting to get going at the 500 metres and make sure we have the momentum. And so, it’s worked out well. Thank you.”



HI DUBAI 5yo Chestnut Mare
by HIGHLAND REEL (IRE) from EUREKA DUBAI
Summary: 14-4:2:4    Prizemoney: $320,950
Dist-Win: 1100/1100     1st Up: 5:1-1-1    2nd Up: 4:0-1-2    
Good: 7:2-2-1    Soft: 4:1-0-1    Heavy: 3:1-0-2



CONGRATULATIONS to the Dynamic Ownership Team that race HI DUBAI: Dynamic Syndications Racing, Mr R J Gall, Ms T L McManus, Mr A C Clarke, Mr D P Morton-Donnelly, Mr P J Wimpey, Mrs C J Laing, Mr L T Duignan, Mr J J Cleveley, Mr M N O'Connor, Mr D Uren, Mr T Ticina, Gallop Schnell, Mr A Stewart, Mr M F O'Reilly, Why Racing, Mr S J Brereton, Mrs H L Hohn, Mrs N M Leyton



CAPTIVANT @ KIA ORA HANDICAP (1100m) Benchmark 78 Handicap, Three-Years-Old and Upwards, Fillies and Mares, Soft 7 Time: 1:06.24 Last 600m: 0:34.68 

Fastest last 600m of the 10 races at the meeting.

1st of 9 RHIL 5Jul25 1100m Soft7 F&M BM78 $160,000 ($82,500) Braith Nock (a) 61kg (cd 59kg) Barrier 3 Rtg 80. 2nd Savagery Vibe 54kg, 3rd Art's Alive 53kg 1:06.24 (600m 34.68), Mgn 0.1L, 1st@800m, 1st@400m, $3.60/$3.30/$3.20/$3.10

HI DUBAI (Ciaron Maher)(Braith Nock (a2) Barrier 3 61.0kgs (cd 59) Bm80 $3.10 (Highland Reel / Eureka Dubai) defeated SAVAGERY VIBE (Nick Ryan)(Ms Alysha Collett) by 0.1 len Barrier 2 54.0kgs Bm 67 $3.10 (Brutal / Kiss Moon) and third  ART'S ALIVE (Brad Widdup)(Zac Wadick (a2) by 0.29 Barrier 8 55.0kgs(cd 53) Bm69 $31 (Snitzel / Novel Dancer).

Only 5 FILLIES Worldwide have earned over A$100,000: COMANCHE COUNTRY A$416,575 (USA), HI DUBAI A$320,950 (AUS), ATAMISQUE A$216,516 (ITY), DIDN’THAVEMUCHTODO A$107,722 (GB), HIGHLAND GLORY A$104,765 (AUS).

This victory recorded Dynamic Syndications second win on the day at Rosehill, having won Race 2 with African Daisy. 



Onwards and Upwards – Forever Forwards!