MELBOURNE Cup winner Dyna Tron captured his second Group 1 win in the space of a month when he ran down star Tasmanian chaser Rewind to take out the $107,000 Aceland Hobart Thousand final over 461 metres at Tattersall’s Park in Hobart last Thursday night.
The Andrea Dailly-trained dog gave away a start and overcame a severe check to run down Morrie Strickland’s kennel star in the shadows of the post to score by a nose with the winner’s litter brother and kennel mate Dyna Bert almost seven lengths astern.
It has been a roller coaster ride for the connections of Dyna Tron that has made an impact on the national stage over the past two months.
Dyna Tron (Collision-Gold Rush Bale) won the Group 2 Geelong Cup before scoring an impressive victory in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup after which he travelled to Queensland to contest a heat of the Brisbane Cup, which he won but he was run down in the final by Glen Gallon.
Dyna Tron was in the care of the trainer’s husband Tom Dailly for the dog’s Tasmanian campaign.
“This dog has just shone these past two months,” Dailly said.
“His confidence is at an all time high and I think that’s what has taken him to this new level,” he said.
“This was probably his best win because Rewind is an extremely hard dog to chase down when he is on the lure.”
“To be honest when my dog copped that check nearing the home turn I thought to myself that second place is not bad money.”
“But Dyna Tron is in such great form that he did what I thought was the impossible,” he said.
Dailly is amazed by the turnaround in Dyna Tron’s recent form.
“I don’t know what it is but the dog has definitely got a new attitude to racing.”
“It might be maturity or that his confidence has lifted because he has had clear runs and winning, which is making him think that he can beat these dogs.”
“He has become very tenacious and is racing like a dog possessed,” he said.
Dailly said he is unsure of Dyna Tron’s immediate future.
“We will just have a look at the Group book that tells you what races are coming up and go from there.”
“No doubt he’ll have at least two weeks off for a freshen up but provided he comes through this well, he should be back in action just after Christmas, “he said.
Dailly also was impressed with kennel mate Dyna Bert’s effort to finish third.
“Dyna Bert was an enormous run because he’s got knocked from pillar to post but he’s just kept coming to run third. I am very proud of his effort,” Dailly said.
While the accolades were poured on the winner, there was plenty to like about the effort of the runner-up Rewind that stood to give trainer Strickland his first Group success in 56 years in the game.
“I’m fairly sure it took a champion (Dyna Tron) to deprive my dog victory tonight,” Strickland said.
“I thought my dog had won it from where I was watching the race and I got a bit excited but there you go I’ve run second and that’s that.”
“This was my big chance to win this race. It’s every Tasmanian trainer’s dream to win a Hobart Thousand and this is probably one that got away,” he said.
Rewind (Collide-Ricky’s Angel) began brilliantly from box seven to cross to the rail while Dyna Tron hunted up along the rail from box two to challenge at the top turn with Bergermeister (1) poised to strike behind the eventual winner.
Dyna Tron checked off Rewind’s heels on the home turn that cost him a couple of lengths.
But such is the tenacity of Dyna Tron that he set sail after Rewind and grabbed victory in the very last stride in a head-bobbing finish.
Dyna Tron’s owner-breeder Paul Wheeler was thrilled with the win.
“I rate this win just as important as the Melbourne Cup because the Hobart Thousand is such a highly respected race that’s been around for almost 80 years and it’s a privilege to win it,” Wheeler said