WARRIOR LUGH DELIVERS FOR OUR DYNAMIC MAHER TEAM

Dynamic Syndications 4-year-old gelding LUGH (by Snitzel ex Marcia Proba) showcased his toughness and power to chalk up his 4th win from just 6 starts, with a dominant, grinding display of strength and purpose under the guidance of returning jockey Tommy Berry, for our Dynamic trainer Ciaron Maher.

On Saturday, second-up from a spell, Lugh was positioned perfectly in transit and kept honest every step of the way. LUGH ($9) stalked the speed and then out-toughed the field in a determined drive to the line to win the MARCELLIN COLLEGE RANDWICK Handicap - a Benchmark 78, 1300m by 0.77 lengths over Starman ($16), with Slinky ($21) 1.56 lengths back in third.


LUGH - an easy winner at Randwick

This effort wasn’t flashy. It was powerful, workmanlike, and unrelenting. Exactly what we’ve come to expect from a racehorse well named after a Celtic god of war and skill.


LUGH the further he went the better he was!

Jockey Tommy Berry, fresh off a well-earned holiday break, jumped back into the saddle for his first day back at work and wasted no time reminding punters why he’s one of the best in the business. Carrying 56kgs which was a half-kilo over the allotted 55.5kg due to having a bit “too good of a time” on his holidays, a refreshed Tommy was nothing short of perfection.




LUGH too strong his peers couldn't catch him



Jumping away quickly and working forward, after the first 100m he was disputing the lead and then he got Lugh to settle at the girth of the leader in a easy rhythm until the field thundered around the home turn and balanced up at the top of the straight.




Hands and Heels - always in control

Tommy pushed the “go-button” and they pulled a length clear before Starman threw down a challenge, moved up and eyeballed Lugh to the 100m. It was here Lugh extended and worked away under hands and heels to post an eased down, widening, and convincing 0.77 length margin over Starman whilst Slinky was 1.56 lengths third.



Racecaller Darren Flindell delivered the excitement up the Randwick rise: “Lugh in a grim fight up front, Starman looming, Sacred Rocks keeps coming, it’s Lugh and Starman! Starman the outside of Lugh, Lugh’s kicking hard, pushed off Starman, LUGH WON IT!”


Happy Owners ! TV captures the emotion of winning for Tony Cranes & 


Dynamic Syndications - Adam Watt 

Darren continued: “Lugh, double figures there. Tommy Berry, $9.20 and $2.90 the payout, Lugh, number 11, by SNITZEL from Marcia Proba, trained by Ciaron Maher at Warwick Farm, Tommy Berry in the saddle. Not a bad record, he’s had several preparations now, that’s his fourth win from six starts, so he’s been a good money spinner there for Dynamic Syndications and winning at reasonable odds after a slight move in the market. The margins 3/4 by 3/4 1:19.04 the overall time, on the first leg of today’s quaddie.”

Indeed, LUGH got the job done - fighting off a spirited challenge from Starman up the straight to the final 100m, then extending away in the final strides in an eased-down finish to stop the clock at 1:19.04 for the 1300m on a Soft 7 track.

In winning Race 7, Lugh recorded the fastest final 600m of the day at Randwick (36.47s), a credit to his stamina and attitude.


Tommy Berry brings LUGH back to the Winners Circle!

JOB DONE!




Walking into the Winners Circle


Tommy Berry salutes the Chief Steward as he returns to scale a winner!




LUGH enjoys his pats in the Winners Stall

Lugh handled the rise to Sydney Saturday class with ease.


The girls from Ciaron Maher's Warwick Farm team love our horse LUGH

Time and patience. Perfect placement. Execution by a world-class team. LUGH is a gelding on the rise, a horse with a relentless motor, an unflappable nature, and a profile that screams “mile+ winner in the making.” While Saturday’s Randwick victory was strong, we are confident the best is still ahead as he steps out over further in the weeks to come.

Having been given time to develop, then placed to perfection early when allowed to go through his grades. Winning over 1200m on debut at Kembla defeating subsequent quality horses Rapido and Mickey’s Medal, even back then we were of the opinion he wanted a trip. So, with black-type races in the Melbourne Spring in mind, we had to build his stamina, so we took Lugh to Goulburn for a second race start in a Class 2 race over 1500m which he won. We then put him on the truck to Melbourne and he went to Flemington to race third up in the Listed 1800m Super Impose. That race was won by superstar Riff Rocket, but we had come to the end of our first prep and Lugh didn’t run out the 1800m on the day finishing 10th. 

Lugh was sent straight to the paddock. He came back into work and suffered an injury and was forced back to the paddock for an extended spell. He missed all of 2024, and was back to the races in January 2025, where he won first up a Bm68 at Newcastle over 1200m. However, he was sent back to the paddock after that win, as he suffered a minor setback. He came back in and trialled twice but was still big in condition and going to take a bit of foundation work to get into race shape. 

He resumed on the Kensington track on 25 June over 1300m in a Bm72. He desperately needed the hit out and the tight Kenso circuit was never to the liking of our bold striding horse. He travelled mid-field, but the gas tank hit empty with a furlong to go but he battled away to the line behind the promising Getafix.

He pulled up well, and was now ready to be competitive and on the big Randwick track and staying at 1300m second-up was important as we build a foundation platform for further distances later in the prep. The result was this impressive win. 

Assistant Trainer Johann Gerard-Dubord (“Aussie Joh”) was full of praise when interviewed:



“He’s taken a lot of benefit from that first-up run. He’s that type of horse.

“He doesn’t have a turn of foot, but he’s got a big action. On a big track here at Randwick was going to suit him better.

"He enjoyed the conditions and I thought Tommy rode him well. He’s a horse that needs a bit of encouragement. He’s very casual; he’s got the best attitude. The way Tommy rode him, he kept him on his job, and he kept kicking. So, he’s got a great record and it’s good to get another win for Dynamic. Obviously, he’s lightly raced, so hopefully there’s more to come.

"He has continued to improve physically each preparation. In his work you wouldn’t know, because he only does what he has to. But physically, he’s a big boy and he’s furnishing all the time and obviously that’s what we saw on the track. "



Tommy Berry said when interviewed post-race:



“He was great today, a lovely big horse, and I guess that’s one thing he’s got that the others don’t: a lot less convictions. He’s only lightly raced, he’s a big, one paced sought of horse, so we just thought we would have him right up on the speed today. 

“I don’t like going to early at Randwick, but he’s the kind of horse that I had to sacrifice that, and ride him right into his strengths, and he hit a bit of a flat spot halfway down the straight, but I loved how much he pulled out late to get the job done. So, it’s a good job by the team at home. 

“I thought that the only thing that would get him beat today was the distance, so he’s in for an exciting preparation.”

Tommy Berry then said to our owner’s post-race:



“That was an exciting win from him today. He was up against an experienced field if you look through it, they have all had a lot more starts than him so, he’s on the way up. Today, I am sure is well short of his best distance, and when you get out to a mile, I think you’re going to have a lot more fun, obviously “we” got favours today the way he was, and that’s full credit to the team back home. I didn’t know him that well, but guided by what they said, that’s what won us the race. That was good!”

1st of 11 RAND 26Jul25 1300m Soft7 4Y+ BM78 $160,000 ($82,500) Tommy Berry 55.5kg (cd 56kg) Barrier 7 Rtg 69 2nd Starman 55kg 3rd Slinky 53.5kg 1:19.04 (600m 36.47) 0.77L, 2nd@800m, 2nd@400m, $11//$10/$9.50/$9


Amy Burke (left) who runs Ciaron's Warwick Farm stables simply loves LUGH !

LUGH a 4yo Chestnut Gelding by SNITZEL from MARCIA PROBA

Summary: 6 starts: 4:0:0:1 and Prizemoney incl. Bonus: $152,400

LUGH is a gelding on the rise—a horse with a relentless motor, an unflappable nature, and a profile that screams “mile+ winner in the making.” While Saturday’s victory was strong, the best is still ahead, especially as he steps out over further in the weeks to come.


Connections enjoy the win including Dynamic Owners Glenn Maris, Louise Kennedy & Tony Cranes

Congratulations to our Dynamic Team that race LUGH: Dynamic Syndications Racing, Mr A Cranes, Mr S B Troughton, Mrs P Smith, Mr C Raymond, Mr E Jomaa, Miskalli, Mrs T E Parish, Mr A M Parish, C J R Racing, Mr S R Freeman, Mr S W Clinton-Morgan, Mr G Maris, Mr M G Howlin, Mr J D Lanyon, Downhill Racing, Beams



The win by LUGH delivered Dynamic Syndications 61st Race Win for the 2024-25 Racing Season. He also recorded our 951st Race Win overall. Whilst it was our 20th Metro Class winner for the season. 

As a by-line, it was our fifth (5th) Metro Winner in the past 5 weeks: 21/6 It’s A Knockout; 25/6 Axius; 5/7 African Daisy; 5/7 Hi Dubai and 26/7 Lugh.

We believe our warrior is just warming up!

BELOW: Is LUGH's pedigree page. As can be seen the female line is stout and Marcia Proba has produced foals to win at 2200m, 1700m etc. Marcia Proba is a daughter of FALBRAV a noted stout line sire. She is daughter of Flidais who is by Timber Country - again a stout line sire and she was placed in the Gr3 Adrian Knox S., over 2000m whilst the 3rd Dam is ELECTRONIC a Gr1 winning stayer. 

Match the page to the type of individual LUGH is. He is built like a middle-distance prospect, not a speedy squib. 



Hoofnote 1: Dynamic Syndications have a 2yo Filly in the care of Ciaron Maher named EBLIU by Merchant Navy x Marcia Proba. She is the 1/2 Sister to LUGH. 

Hoofnote 2: With sadness we were at the funeral for one of Lugh’s Co-Owners on Friday. Lawrence (Rocco) Bellantonio. Rocco along with his business partners (and close mates) Charlie & Ondrea Deeb and Peter & Jan Brooks have owned horses with Dynamic Syndications under their CJR Racing Syndicate (CJR = Charlie, Jan, Rocco) since 2004 and among many memorable highlights and visits to the Winner’s Circle included their involvement with us in 2005 Magic Millions Winner BRADBURY’S LUCK. We are confident Rocco would have been looking down, riding Lugh home. Thanks Rocco!