3 minute read
Trainer and jockey quotes after the Sweeney Estate Agents Country Cup Final at Moonee Valley on Friday won by Port Albert.
Race Result:
1st: Port Albert (B Shinn/N Ryan) - $3.10 fav
2nd: Joltin' Joe (C Newitt/P & T Templeton) - $19
3rd: Written Royalty (C Hefel/R Griffiths & M de Kock) - $41
Winning Time: 1:10.19 Last 600m: N/A
Margins: 1-¾ lengths x Short Half Head
Winning Trainer: Nick Ryan
On the horse: "We had a good chat on the phone this morning (with) Blake, he's not a very easy horse to ride, he's certainly not push button. His only other win here was when he missed the start and he was back, he can unleash a good turn of foot but Blake was pretty adamant he'd just go straight to the front and rate him and get him to settle."
"It's funny, I said to him, if he can roll to the top and prick his ears for a furlong it'd be ideal and Blake was in the same mindset and it worked out."
Prize money for owners: "It's great, we've got some good boys in it too, a few boys I went to school with and some loyal owners so it's great, we love The Valley, we love B Shinn and it's great."
School mates involved: "Just a stone's throw, Essendon Grammar so there'll be a few pots drank tonight."
"They do (love it), they love their racing, they followed me as a jockey and they've been there the whole way so it's good."
Winning Jockey: Blake Shinn
On the win: "He's been running really well, full credit to Nicholas Ryan, he's presented him really well, he was placed to win, he's been a little bit of an enigma this horse, we've tried to ride him back, he wanted to work us for quite a while and sometimes, like tonight, we just let him roll, as opposed to last start and I think he enjoys rolling along, he pricked his ears in front and once he was able to find the top and relax, he was going to be hard to beat."
Relationship with Nick Ryan: "We had a discussion a few hours before the race meet and if we could find the top and get him to enjoy it we're going to give him his best chance to run 1200 and he changed leads at the right time, he cornered well. He has proven he's capable in at least midweek and possible even Saturday off season kind of horse, it's just great, Nick's a local, he's got all his family out here tonight and a big group of owners who support him so it's lovely."