Begood Toya Mother guarantees trainer Daniel Bowman and jockey Declan Bates are toast of Caulfield
He’s a likeable trainer who has been thrust into the spotlight courtesy of his equally popular racehorse, Begood Toya Mother, and now Daniel Bowman and his steed have achieved something very special.
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Long-range precision planning is generally a flawed enterprise, scuttled by injury and cruel circumstance.
But for Daniel Bowman, 33, and Declan Bates, 31, months of intricate plotting and effort was more than justified when Begood Toya Mother swept to Group 1 victory in the $500,000 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m).
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Neither horse, trainer nor jockey had ever savoured Group 1 achievement and The Heath’s mounting yard was a sea of jubilation as family, wellwishers and an ecstatic ownership group revelled in the glory.
Bowman, who named his stable star after the answer he often gives when asked for a tip, started the process when Begood Toya Mother won a restricted race at Sandown on Easter Monday.
“Since Sandown (his win in April) he put the writing on the wall as the type of horse that fitted the profile for this race,” Bowman said as he joyously absorbed the description ‘Group 1-winning trainer.’
“So that's when we put the plan in motion to get here and when a long-range plan comes off it’s fulfilling — I’m sure it’ll sink in later.”
Bowman threw risk to the wind when he sent his light-raced star to the Memsie Stakes last month for a tilt at seasoned weight-for-age warriors.
He finished sixth to Scales Of Justice but showed plenty of grit and dropped seven kilograms under handicap conditions for the Rupert Clarke.
After overcoming an early speed battle, Begood Toya Mother ($3.10) ran his rivals ragged to down Age Of Chivalry ($15) and Widgee Turf ($14).
For Bates, who rarely rides beneath 53kg, the sacrifices to get his weight down to 52kg were washed away in the 1min, 21secs it took to hurtle around the 1400m course.
“I was surprised how easily he did it in the end to be honest,” Bates said.
Daniel Bowman is a Group 1 winning trainer! pic.twitter.com/QVhX69lpms
— 7HorseRacing 🎠(@7horseracing) September 21, 2019
“Just credit to Daniel (Bowman) and his staff, he just keeps improving this horse, mentally more than anything.
“He was a bit tricky so they’ve done a massive job just to help him mature and produce him for the big day.
“I’ve known that he’d go to this race with 52kg and I’ve been preparing for the past two months.
“So I’ve been slowly chipping away and not doing anything extreme — just eating better and exercising on days I’m not riding just to make sure I was here to do the horse 100 per cent justice.”
Begood Toya Mother is raced by several members of the Bowman family and is strapped by his wife Denita, evidence of racing’s ability to produce fairytales despite the reach of huge international operations.
SUNDAY FIX
O’BRIEN STREAK CONTINUES TO GROW
There are hot streaks and there is Danny O’Brien’s.
Saturday’s Caulfield double with Skiddaw and Fabric continued the Flemington handler’s stunning run of success.
Skiddaw underlined his standing as a likely VRC Derby hopeful, while Fabric is also destined for Group contests.
For O’Brien, who has 13 winners from his past 50 runners, the stable’s winning spree is attributable to smart selection and hard work.
“It looks easy but it’s two years of work starting with the yearling sales at the start of 2018 to get to this stage,” O’Brien said. “They all got a good grounding and now we’re getting the results on the track.
“If you want nice horses, you’ve got to go and buy them, break them in and then be patient with them. It doesn’t just land in your lap.
“Of course, there’s the other model of getting the Europeans but if you want to be a factor in your local three-year-old races, you need to take a long-term approach.”
Fabric could be given a shot at the Group 2 Blazer Stakes after landing the Foundation Handicap (1400m), extending a 15-year association with the mare’s owner, Waikato Stud.
“They’re a sensational operation and any horse you get from them, there’s a fair chance it will be a good horse,” O’Brien said.
“It’s Mark Chittick’s (of Waikato Stud) birthday today, so we’re very happy to get a win for him today.
“She’s a filly that showed good promise as a three-year-old but she’s come back a bit bigger and stronger,” O’Brien said.
GARNERING SUPPORT IN SUCCESS
The Cummins Hotel, north of Port Lincoln on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula, would have been heaving after Garner’s powerhouse win in the Living Legends Handicap.
Trained by Gordon Richards and ridden by fellow Croweater Dwayne Dunn, the lightly-raced gelding confirmed his reputation as a serious talent.
Already the subject of offers from Hong Kong, Garner was bred on the West Coast by Mark Sheehan, who hails from one of the region’s longstanding racing clans.
Garner’s win delivered Richards’ fourth win from six recent Melbourne forays with Gytrash and Charossa also saluting. His two other attempts in Victoria yielded seconds.
“They’ve liked him a lot, he’s a bit of a kid that needed the trip away and he’s a really nice horse,” Dunn said.
“Gordon seems to know where to place them. When they come across, they run well.”
Dunn completed a double with William Thomas’s scorching win in the last race for trainer John Price.
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WALLER GOES THE DISTANCE AGAIN
Chris Waller has a penchant for identifying talented young stayers and Shared Ambition is clearly no exception.
The Irish import toyed with his opposition to win the Grassroots Handicap (1800m), steaming from last on the turn to win effortlessly.
Winner of two of his three starts in Ireland, Shared Ambition recently completed two weeks quarantine at Werribee.
He will be given a light spring campaign before tackling the autumn.
Stewards, usually north of the border, frown upon jockey celebrations.
Racing Victoria can also mete out heavy penalties if the situation warrants.
RV took a kinder view of Declan Bates’ winning celebration on Begood Toya Mother on the basis the Irishman’s standing salute did not cause his mount to change course.
Had he done so, Bates would have got more than a gentle reminder of his obligations.
Bates followed Daniel Bowman’s instructions to the letter as the pair landed the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.
Having wasted steadily to get down to 52kg, Bates was given one more piece of advice from the trainer late in the day.
“Make sure you have something to eat on the way home,” a grinning Bowman told his mate.
EXCUSES, EXCUSES
I Am Immortal: Tongue tie unable to be fitted.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“That was a Cox Plate effort today after his first two runs this preparation demonstrated he was more a Caulfield Cup horse so we’ve got some thinking to do.”
— James Cummings after Avilius’ win at Randwick.
BEST TWEET
Massive congratulations to Dan, Denita and all the team. Great bloke and gun trainer. Well deserved! @djbowmanracing #begoodtoyamother
— Daniel Moor (@daniel_moor) September 21, 2019
TAB BIG BETS
RACE ONE
A good betting move came off in the Grassroots Sports Club for Mirabel Handicap (1800m).
Shared Ambition was $4.60 in the morning but had been well tried throughout the day, eventually jumping a $3.40 favourite.
Settling at the tail of the six-horse field, Teo Nugent issued his challenge on the final bend and the Chris Waller runner swept past his rivals.
Firstclass Dreamer, which had been $3.40 fav in the morning, got out to $4 at the jump and finished second in front of Aristocratic Miss ($5.50).
Shared Ambition was responsible for 35 per cent of the total investment.
BETS: Shared Ambition $1300 @ $4, $3000 @ $3.50, $1764 @ $3.40
BETS: Heir To The Throne $1250 @ $4.60, $1000 @ $4.60 MULTIPLE TIMES
RACE TWO
Skiddaw was pretty solid in the market for the 4cyte for Living Legends Handicap (1600 metres).
It hovered around the $6-$7 mark throughout betting but didn’t attracted a great deal of interest, with most of the money going on Long Jack ($3.30) and The Lifeline.
Skiddaw came with a well-timed run under Ben Melham to nail The Lifeline ($4.40) near the post with the runner-up having led for most of the trip. Level Lass ($15) filled the minor end of the prize.
BETS: Reckoning $5000 @ $8
RACE THREE
Garner ($5) arrived in time to land several big bets in the Punters.com.au Living Legends Plate (1000m).
The son of Barbados had attracted good money throughout the day with one of the standout bets of the day giving one TAB customer a $25,000 return.
Leaving it late, Garner rattled home under Dwayne Dunn to nail Sartorial Splendor ($10-$7.50), which led, right on the line. Lucifer’s Reward ($21) grabbed the minor end of the prize.
Garner had been $7.50 in the morning and was the second best supported runner in the race. I Am Immortal, despite drifting from $3.10 out to $3.80, was easily the most popular and held 40 per cent of the money. Lesage ($6-$9) drifted, Maktabba ($6) was solid and Meteorite ($10-$7.50) firmed.
BETS: Garner $5000 @ $5
BETS: I Am Immortal $3000 @ $3.80, $1600 @ $3.70, $2750 @ $3.60
RACE FOUR
Haut Brion Her proved costly for favourite backers in the Fight Cancer Foundation Handicap (1400m).
Chris Waller’s rep was responsible for nearly 40 per cent of all money on the race and hovered around the $2.60-$2.80 mark for most of the afternoon.
Despite leading them for most of the trip, she couldn’t hold off Fabric ($9) which raced outside her and was a little too strong.
One More Try ($81) added plenty of spice to the trifecta.
Mystery Love, $5.50-$7, had solid backing but was never in the hunt.
BETS: Fabric $2000 x $3000 e/w @ $9.50/$2.70
BETS: Haut Brion Her $5000 @ $2.90, $3300 @ $2.80, $3000 @ $3.80, $2000 @ $2.80 MULTIPLE TIMES
RACE FIVE
Favourite backers and multi players were sent packing after Pippie was a costly failure in the fifth event of the day.
Backed from $2 in the morning into $1.95 at the jump, Pippie was one of the best backed runners across the country and accounted for over 70 per cent of the total investment.
Finding the front, Pippie was a spent force rounding the bend with Manicure racing away to score at double figures.
The Godolphin-trained winner was ridden by Rachel King and was popular with eachway punters. It started at $12 on TAB Fixed Odds.
Angelic Ruler ($18) and Dawn Dawn ($23) filled the minors.
BETS: Manicure $5,000 @ $10
BETS: Pippie $5000 @ $2, $2000 @ $2, $2000 @ $1.95 MULTIPLE TIMES,$8500 @ $1.90, $4760 @ $1.90
RACE SIX
N/A
RACE SEVEN
Begood Toya Mother did the right thing by favourite backers in the Group One Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m).
Sent out a $3.10 favourite at TAB, Begood Toya Mother was easily the best tried in the race and held 35 per cent of the money in the race and held more than half of what the next best backed runner (Amphitrite) did.
Declan Bates took the gelding to the front before tracking mover Iconoclasm ($16-$9). Putting paid to that runner on the bend, the Dan Bowman-trained galloper then booted for home and held of Age Of Chivalry ($10-$13) and Widgee Turf ($13) safely.
It was Bates’ first Group 1 success and punters were cheering after the pair landed several large investments and multis.
BETS: Begood Toya Mother $10,000 @ $3.10, $2555 @ $3, $1250 @ $3, $1000 @ $3, $1250 @ $2.80
RACE EIGHT
In what was a very open betting affair, I Am Eloquent took honours in the Aquis Jim Moloney Stakes for Pinchapoo (1400m).
Getting up at $34, there wasn’t a great of action for the Busuttin & Young runner which went around as one of the least popular horses in terms of money taken.
The Stephen Baster-ridden runner beat Excused ($10-$9) and Deserved ($15). Beauty Bolt ($6.50) and Kooweerup ($5) were the two most popular in terms of money held. Affair To Remember ($17-$11) was a notable firm.
BETS: Kooweerup $4000 @ $5.50
BETS: Affair to Remember $2000 e/w @ $11/$3.60
BETS: Excused $2000 @ $9
RACE NINE
William Thomas landed some big bets in the final event on the card over 1100m.
The John Price-trained runner was pretty solid in betting and opened the day at $8.50, bottomed out at $7.50 before getting back out to $8 at the start of the race.
Following the rails all-the-way, Dwayne Dunn kept his cool and the gelding did the rest as he swept to the lead inside the final stages to score an effortless win.
Lyre ($5) and Inn Keeper ($26-$11) filled the minors. Of the others, Plague Stone ($3.70-$4) was the well-tried favourite and was most popular in front of Lyre with a big gap back to William Thomas in third.
BETS: William Thomas $2500 e/w @ $8/$2.50, $7000 @ $8
BETS: Lyre $8000 x $9000 e/w @ $5/$1.90
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