Winning rider Ryan Moore praised the winning performance of Adelaide to take this afternoon's 2014 G1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.
Ryan Moore (Adelaide) - He did it the hard way, but he’s a high-quality colt and I believed that if he brought his best form, he was probably the best horse in the race. He’s had to go around the whole field and come from last. But he still won.
It’s quite an atmosphere. We’ve got some tracks like this back home, but not as many people. It;s a lovely race to win.
Zac Purton (Sacred Falls) – “A strong 2000 (metres) and a Cox Plate, he got a bit stirred up today and didn’t quite get the trip.”
Nick Hall (Fawkner) – “He was in a spot to be beaten today. But I rode him for the race and he got beaten by a better horse.”
Jamie Spencer (Side Glance) – “It was a hot pace. I ended up having to take him back a little bit at the 1200 to get the horse to relax a little bit. But he fought well in the straight. No excuses.”
Damien Oliver (Happy Trails) – “Excellent run. Got held up at the jump but I had a good run after that. The pace was really solid – it suited horses running on from behind and he ran a huge race. It was probably the most exciting finish in a Cox Plate I’ve ridden in in probably 20-odd years, since Super Impose (1992). There was more interference in that one. But with so many horses going across the line together, an exciting finish.”
Tommy Berry (Foreteller) – “It was an outstanding run. I got a beautiful run in transit. Side Glance just beat me to the rail at the top of the straight. I’d hoped I would’ve got it first because then I would’ve won the race, but that doesn’t matter!”
Steven Arnold (The Cleaner) – “Just did a bit of work early. He rolled forward and wanted to go pretty quickly out of the straight. We just had to keep working around until we got our spot. But the work tolled late.”
Craig Williams (Guest Of Honour) – “He’s ended up getting into a really lovely position from a tricky draw but he never dropped his head and relaxed at any stage of the race. He was under pressure at the 800, I gave him a smack at the 700 and just sat up on him because he wasn’t responding.
James McDonald (Criterion) – “He ran a really good race. Just the tight circuit, he couldn’t get balanced at all. Turning for home I was very worried, I thought I was going to run last but he’s done really, really well to rally.”
Nash Rawiller (Silent Achiever) – “I gave her a little squeeze coming up the side there and got on Fawkner’s back. Prior to the 400 there I thought, geez, she’s got it today, this mare. But, it’s a Cox Plate, it’s bloody hard with those weight-for-age horses in it. But she’s just a gallant mare. I was rapt with her.
Glen Boss (Royal Descent) – “Never felt comfortable when we were doing the preliminaries. Felt a bit jarry and that’s how she raced. Struggled around the corners, she was feeling her front legs.”
Craig Newitt (Almalad) – “He was beaten at the 1000-metre mark.”
Chad Schofield (Sweynesse) – “Excellent run. He’s come from last and he’s been beaten two lengths. If he draws a barrier he goes close.”
Dean Yendall (Wandjina) - Excellent run. 400 (metres) from home I thought I was home. Didn’t have to do any work early, travelled really nicely. I just think that next prep he’ll be a bigger and better horse. Maybe he didn’t quite see out the 2000 (metres) for a strong 2000.
