BEAST MODE LOOKS A PROMISING HORSE IN THE MAKING

By Graham Potter | Sunday, December 11, 2022

The David Vandyke trained Beast Mode made it two wins from two starts when he dominated a Class 1 Handicap over 1000m at the Sunshine Coast on December 11.

The three-year-old son of Better Than Ready had started at $6 when winning on his debut sixteen days earlier, but there was no such generosity from the bookmakers this time around with Beast Mode being firmly entrenched at the top of the betting boards being quoted at the restrictive odds of $1.55 ... backed in from $1.90.

But even that turned out to be good odds for an easy winner.

Jockey Martin Harley, who was having his first ride for the Vandyke stable, never put a foot wrong on the favourite.

It helped that he had a willing ally in Beast Mode who produced impressive gate speed when asked to do so to easily cross his field from the worst of the draw (eleven out of eleven) and spear into an immediate lead.

Once there, Harley allowed Beast Mode to dictate the race at a more measured gallop, half backing up the field as he travelled comfortably, maintaining a lead of just over a length throughout the sweep to the home turn.

That left Beast Mode with plenty in reserve on straightening, and he was able to increase the margin back to the chasing pack without any undue effort in the first half of the straight when ridden largely hands and heels.

Harley did get more vigorous in the saddle from just inside the 200m mark and he did give Beast Mode a reminder of the task at hand at the 100m mark, but that was more in terms of helping with the racing education of the horse (it was only his second race start remember) than a response to any threat coming from behind.

At the line, where Beast Mode was once again just pushed out hands and heels, the gelding still had a 1.50 length buffer over his nearest rival as he completed very impressive back-to-back wins while maintaining his unbeaten record.

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