Patience Pays Off as AFRICAN DAISY Delights Her OWNERS after 889 Days Between WINS

The Win by AFRICAN DAISY was well deserved for her owners.



It’s the courage of the co-owners that need special mention and be the focus in this story of success. 



This was planned to be AFRICAN DAISY’s final race before retirement to the breeding barn. 

Over the past 12 months she had not displayed much racetrack desire. She was giving every indication on raceday she was wanting to be a mum. 

Sky Thoroughbreds Central commentators PRE-RACE Parade Report:

Sky Commentator Gavin Carmody: “Number five, African Daisy, third run into the prep, Timmy Clark on board for Jason Deamer.”

Sky Commentator Brad Gray: “Blinkers first time. She's just not performing at the moment. So maybe getting onto the wetter surface that she has seen this campaign, with the shades on, could spark some improvement. Her heart just doesn't look to be in it at the moment. So, you are taking her on trust, but she will go forward and make your own luck, and I'm hoping we see the real African Daisy today.”

Sky Commentator Kayla Nisbet “Must say she parades very similar. She looks a pretty unbothered mare and If she's racing that way, she looks pretty casual in the yard to.”

The commentators were right. Her two races this preparation were ordinary efforts on paper, having worked well at home, she was not putting-in on raceday. To such an extent, when she loaded up onto the truck on Saturday morning to head to Rosehill, her trainer had given her a cuddle and said “goodbye” as she would be going to the spelling paddock from the racetrack. 

At her first run back, she was at the sport off just one trial, instead of the customary two trials, and she pulled up with a big blow suggesting her fitness was tested late, but she gave up 5-lengths after leading which was disappointing.

At her most recent start which had been just seven days earlier, she went around on a Good 4, but riders were of the opinion the track was firmer than that, and as an older mare, she had shown a liking to a bit of give in the surface. 

We toyed with the idea of retirement then, but we were aware of this race at Rosehill and knew the forecast was for heavy rain during the week which would give her a suitable surface. 

We also decided to have a one last crack, and chose to put blinkers on her, to help her concentrate. She was fitter and focused. It was either going to work or that would be the end of her racetrack career. 

She hadn’t won a race since back on the 28 January 2023. That was a massive 889 days! It breaks down to 127 weeks alternatively 29 months since she had her photo taken. 

However, she had always kept us interested by impressive trackwork. 

Since that last win at Rosehill over 1500m in 2023, she has now raced an additional 18 starts: 1-4-2 and banked 16 cheques totalling up to $217,475. 

This was her second victory at Rosehill of her career , where she has won over 1200m and 1500m. She has also won over 1350m at Wyong and 1400m at Scone. 

Added to her career resume, she has placed Second twice at Randwick, twice at Warwick Farm and twice at Eagle Farm. Also, she has been placed third twice at Randwick. 

She had always shown the ability but the questions over the past 12 months was her desire still there? 

To win this event as a last throw at the stumps, has given AFRICAN DAISY a stay in proceedings to continue her career for the balance of this preparation. So, after the race, our mare was loaded on the truck and sent back home to her trainer JASON DEAMER. 

Our mare had looked fantastic in the parade and was very casual and laid back. However, she displayed the desire to win and got the job done over a trip well short of her preferred 1500m trip. 

A terrific ride by Tim Clark, assisted a good barrier and give in the track. She was also well in with 56.0kgs for the class that she had shown previously. However, we were taking her on trust and sentiment, not facts and figures. 

We wanted to be positive on a rain affected track knowing the rail was out. Rosehill will traditionally play leader biased the fence on such days. However, we didn’t think we would have the toe to keep out the predicted speed map leaders Sneaky Sofia and Maili. So, we felt we could hold the fence one pair back and wait until those two horse’s puncher when they turned for home. 



The race panned out just as we believed it would and approaching the 300m the leaders were coming back into her lap. Tim angled out off the heels of Sneaky Sofia and had to push Maili out of the way and quickly extended, hitting the front a long way from home. Tim pushed the go button and AFRICAN DAISY extended beautifully putting up a two-length margin but the swoopers with a better turn of foot were running on. 



We expected to see AFRICAN DAISY yield but we started to shout and cheer as our mare astounded connections with the blinkers on and she was digging in strongly.







She fought right through the line and had her photo taken,



returning to the winner’s circle after two and a half years absence.



JOB DONE !


Luke Marlow Racecall: “As they bunch up, in the straight 375m to go Sneaky Sofia, Maili, Donwon cuddled the outside, African Daisy trying to push out, succeeded in doing so. Further back Equilibrist, Iron Man struggling, and Zouripper 3 or 4 off them.

“African Daisy hit the front, Donwon hangs tough, Equilibrist gets out, then Zouripper. 100m to go African Daisy clear of Donwon, Equilibrist. African Daisy screaming for the line, Equilibrist coming, but African Daisy - the blinkers turned her on, from Equilibrist, Donwon third, he lasted there just ahead of Iron Man, Zouripper was never at the races, in behind them La Signora Dane, Close Encounter, Sneaky Sofia and Maili.”

Sky Channels Gavin Carmody reviewed the win: “Well, she probably had prior to today, she had Jason Deamer scratching his head a little, so he whacked the blinkers on and Timmy Clark, and that is really smartened her up. She pushed out off the fence and burst through a gap, to go on and win. She had enough in hand over Equilibrist who was very good. Likewise, Donwon and Iron Man who dropped the bit as Luke said in the call, prior to the home corner, has whacked away in fourth spot. 

“But third-up from a break with the shades on, African Daisy today wins her fourth race at start 29.”

Brad Gray continues: “They made a big difference, didn't they! African Daisy today. So just as we were questioning whether she still wanted to be a racehorse she’s come out, obviously benefited after two runs, and just appreciated getting back onto a wetter track today. And that is the best version of African Daisy. She has always had that in her locker. On the back of a patient ride from Tim Clark. Barrier one; a bit of speed there, and once he angled into the clear, she was left in front there a long way from home.”

Gavin Carmody returns: “The winner gets in by a Longneck with a length-and-a-quarter between 2nd and 3rd; Longneck by length-and-a-quarter. A mare by American Pharaoh out of an American family by Latent Heat mare, so as I say, she’s won her fourth race start 29 and Tim Clark piloted to victory today. 

“African Daisy prevails here over Equilibrist, Donwon was very good holding on for third.

“So the second (race) going the way of African Daisy, as the winner comes back for Dynamic Syndications, African Daisy a big group of owners as they invariably are, and her prizemoney goes up over about $384,000 following that victory in race 2 on the programme. We expected in terms of the track, early on that we would get an upgrade. And that indeed was the case following the first they upgraded, it was soft Seven retrospective to include the opening event today. So, track on the improve.

“So, Tim Clark about to jump on the scales to make everything all official, the winner paid $10.80 and $2.80 on the tote, $2.40 the runner-up, Donwon pays $4.20 the drum and Timmy Clark is about to join Kayla.”



Kayla Nisbet says to Tim Clark: “Well, she's been a pretty disinterested mare for a while, but blinkers did their job.”

Tim Clark responded: “Exactly, and from the get-go she was really intent on putting herself into the race and showed that she really wanted to be there today, and as said, the blinkers really worked and Jase (Jason Deamer) always turns his horses out in good order and done a great job with her, to turn her around.”

Kayla adds: “Hard to say obviously, we know first win in a long time, but do you think she could go on with it or maybe horse that just needs a bit of gear fiddled with regularly?”

Tim answered: “Yeah, well obviously she appreciated sort of probably getting her toe into the ground, a good draw, nice run. Yeah, things fell into place for her today and that's not always going to be the case, but it's good to see when they did, that she was able to capitalise on that. Thank you.”

Race 2 MIDWAY HANDICAP (1200m) 1st $55,000 Benchmark 72, Handicap, Minimum Weight 53.5kg
Soft 7 RATime: 1:12.96 Last 600m: 0:36.13

AFRICAN DAISY (Jason Deamer)(Tim Clark) Bar1 56.0kgs Bm68 $10 (American Pharoah / Ciguaraya) defeated EQUILIBRIST (Kerry Parker)(Jay Ford) Bar2 56.0kgs Bm64 $7.50 (Trapeze Artist / Munhro) by 0.45 length, with third place going to DONWON (Ross McConville)(Ms Alysha Collett) Bar8 55.5kgs Bm64 $17 (Magna Grecia / Minnesota) by 1.6 lengths.

1st of 9 RHIL 05Jul25 1200m Soft7 MIDWAY BM72 $120,000 ($55,000) Tim Clark 56kg Bar1 Rtg68 2nd Equilibrist 56kg, 3rd Donwon 55.5kg 1:12.96 (600m 36.13), 0.45L, 3rd@800m, 3rd@400m, $11/$12/$11/$10



AFRICAN DAISY 6yo Bay Mare
by AMERICAN PHAROAH (USA) from CIGUARAYA (USA)
Career Summary 29-4:7:3 Prizemoney incl. Bonus: $384,915
Good: 15:1-3-1 Soft: 9:2-2-2 Heavy: 5:1-2-0

A horse with nice ability should be able to win one race per seven starts and AFRICAN DAISY is batting on that statistic.



CONGRATULATIONS and Well Done to her Dynamic Co-Ownership Team for keeping the faith: Dynamic Syndications Racing, Mr S P Loane, Mr S B Troughton, Mrs A T Woollett, Mr P J Woollett, Mr D Robinson, Mr J Breslin, Mr W E Muller, Mr M R Annabel, Mr K E Phillips, Dr M G Purcell, B Ramsey Family, Mr D J Hughes, Mr J R Warton, Mr J R Murphy, Mr S J Crooks