3 minute read
Trainer and jockey quotes after Baller takes out the Group 2 Ascot Green Moreton Cup at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Race Result:
1st: Baller (Tony Gollan/Hugh Bowman) - $6.50
2nd: Wandabaa (Kris Lees/William Pike) - $9.50
3rd: Kementari (James Cummings/Nash Rawiller) - $5.50
Winning Time: 1:10.36 Last 600m: 34.82
Margins: 1L x Head
Winning Trainer: Tony Gollan
"We've been late starters today but we've come to the party now.
"I'm so happy for this horse. The interruptions early in the prep made life really hard getting him fit and we had him in awfully hard races, in weight-for-age races, and he was at his right grade today.
"Just a different horse today in running. I said to Hughey in running that Wednesday morning he just towed his rider in a gallop and that was the difference today. He traveled up in the same spot as last year and he had enough in him to bump that horse out of the road and he had a great turn-of-foot on him.
"That's the Baller we know today. That's the right horse."
The horse's issues: "He's a really big horse and getting him fit is always a challenge with these big horses, but he's got really bad front feet. Our farrier does an amazing job with this horse and it has taken a while for things to get in their groove.
"When you can get the right surface and you can get him fully fit and you can get his feet right - there's a few 'ifs' there - you really get a good horse and I'm sure that other trainers that have had him previous to us had had the same struggles.
"When we get him right he's a quality galloper."
What's next: "I don't know. I'm not sure now. He'll get an awful lot of weight in he Healy Stakes here in three weeks. We'll see what happens."
Winning Jockey: Hugh Bowman
"It was pretty straightforward for me. We drew very well in barrier three and he jumps very well. Tony was confident he'd put his best foot forward here today.
"He's had a couple of runs to get his fitness levels to a place he needs to be and, my word, when I got a bit of room and balanced up, he really put them away at the 250 metre mark.
"He was sort of waiting for some company on the line bit I think had they had come at him I think he would have had a bit up his sleeve but it was a really dominant performance."
Gave him a niggle after 100 metres: "I felt that Tony was mindful of the fact that he was getting back and whether that was suiting him. From a good draw I was able to just hold my position and, like I said, he traveled superbly for me throughout and when the gap came he was supreme in letting go.
"He's a big horse and that's maybe why it takes a couple of runs to get his fitness levels to where they are today. He's a mature individual but he is a beautiful horse to ride. He's kind, a beautiful type and it was a pleasure to ride him today. He really wanted to win today."