3 minute read
Trainer and jockey quotes after Written Miss wins the Lexus Holiday 3YO Plate at Flemington on Saturday.
Race Result:
1st: Written Miss (Caroline Jennings/Jason Benbow) - $2.60F
2nd: Pioneer River (T Dabernig & B Hayes/Mark Zahra) - $9
3rd: Zion (C Maher & D Eustace/John Allen) - $4.40
Winning Time: 1:10.71 Last 600m: 33.77
Margins: Short ½ Head x Short Neck
Winning Trainer: Caroline Jennings
"I'm having an incredible time. She's a great horse to have. I'm surrounded by great people, a great team, a fantastic owner - James Kennedy, and to have a runner here at Flemington is surreal let alone have a winner. It's incredible.
"I think I'm trying and aspiring to be the best horseman or horsewoman that I can be. In this big time I'm trying to keep my feet on the ground and head screwed on and keep watching the horses. It seems to be working out, right?
"I've got loads of support not only in my team and my owner but my partner Adrian is in it with me. I'm talking about these horses all the time. My friend's here as well. I've got my family at home in Ireland 'rooting' me on so it's a big and a great time."
What's next: "We'll see how she pulls up and just make some exciting plans that will suit her."
Winning Jockey: Jason Benbow
First win at Flemington in four years: "Just relieved that her number was in the frame and we were able to do that so very grateful.
"I've been getting a lot of airtime for a bloke that hadn't been riding winners for a few years, but it's just great and fantastic for Caroline, her first runner at Flemington. Obviously a big occasion for all involved.
On the run: "She'll sleep very well tonight. I was very grateful that she was able to find under pressure. I'm sure that she'll definitely have a good sleep tonight."
Additional on the run: "The concerns pre-race were the 1200 metres up the straight. She got the job done but I think she'll take improvement and benefit from having the experience up the straight the first time. She was shortening stride rather quickly in the last 50 metres. She looked like she was going to win by a length but then it got narrowed down to a short-half-head. Grateful that she stuck her nose out but she'll be better from that."
"I need to get Caroline's colours back to her. She's got a habit of forgetting them."