3 minute read
Trainer and jockey quotes after the VRC Member Thorold Gunnersen AM Handicap at Flemington on Saturday taken out by Yulong January.
Race Result:
1st: Yulong January (M Zahra/C Maher & D Eustace) - $2.30F
2nd: Rubisaki (B Egan/P Payne) - $5
3rd: Odeon (J Kah/M Ellerton & S Zahra) - $5.50
Winning Time: 1:24.78
Margins: Long Neck x Head
Winning Trainer: Ciaron Maher & Dave Eustace (Dave speaking)
"He's an absolute star. It's great to have these older horses and older geldings coming back prep on prep. He didn't quite come up in the spring so he had a nice break and the team at Yulong hand stuck with him. He's rewarding.
"There's another race (here) on 19 June. His rating is starting to edge up. We've never tried him at a mile. He does look like a 1400 metre specialist but we might have to at some stage this prep.
"We knew we had to lead but didn't really want to. Mark got it spot on, rated him beautifully. He was really brave to his credit. He always is but he had to fend off a very good horse. Rubisaki did dive at him.
At home: "We had to mix it up a bit. He'd spent a lot of time at the beach and was just a little not quite himself so he went to Fingal, which he enjoyed and spent a little bit of time back at the beach and then back to Caulfield. These older horses, they can settle a bit too much into a routine so we change it up a bit."
Winning Jockey: Mark Zahra
"He's an absolute gentleman. He's been a bit fidgety in the gates so I was a bit worried that he jumped well enough but he's a horse you can get to the front and goes as fast as you want.
"He came back nice underneath me. Had a beautiful time in front and slowly picked up and picked up. He was all out late but you could see him with his ears back. He's an all-out winner.
"I've seen all of these blokes going forward and annoying me but in fairness I wasn't going that hard either. I just had to see what the others were doing and go a bit quicker for them to establish their position.
"The way he was so relaxed and saving his energy in front, I was alway pretty confident. I knew I was out late but he just wins. He had his ears flat back and he tries so hard for you."