3 minute read

Some of the most important players on Derby Day and through Cup week at Flemington were on show this morning at trackwork.

Trackwork at Flemington

Fred Kersley

Character - Derby: “It was frustrating (running second) last year but that adds fuel to the fire and I’ve found myself on a nice horse in Character. He did a nice piece of work on the course proper and gave me a good feel. We’ll be going into the weekend with some confidence.

“It was a great second (Geelong Classic). Arguably if we had have had something to chase down then he goes close to winning. But he’s really taken me by surprise. He’s make good progression from each run and although he is deep into a prep he is still progressing.

“If we can have a bit of luck in running and have a couple to chase down in the straight then he’ll pt in a good showing.”

Distance: “There’s no worries with him. He’s extremely well-bred and the Godolphin camp, they wouldn’t send a runner there if they don’t think he could see it out. 

“With the right run he’ll show up.”

On opposition Gundec and Forgot You: “They’re two impressive horses. They’ve had faultless preps going in to Saturday. If we can have a better run than they do and with a smidge of luck, there’s no question about our fella seeing out the distance and with the blinkers on he’ll give a good showing.”

Kallos - Coolmore: “He’s a very exciting horse. There’s not much too him. It’s a shame that he isn’t a hand bigger because he’d be a machine if he was. That win in the Danehill was nice. He travelled so beautifully for me. When I asked the question from him with a furlong-and-a-half left, he really extended underneath me.

“He gave me the feel that had he been pressured he would have won by further. He’s going into the Coolmore really well. All reports is that he’s back in Sydney and he’ll come down before, but he’s going very well.

“It is a hot field but there’s no reason why he can’t take that next step. I thought that in the Danehill, had he been tested then he would have gone further. There’s no questions about the slight rise in trip and if there’s a stable that can do it it is going to be Godolphin, isn’t it.

Stalking - Wakeful: “She is a nice horse. She does have a tendency to overrace and get her head up but in her last two pieces of work I’ve ridden her and she gave me a great feel. She’s been flowing and in a rhythm.

“She worked with Colette here today - and we all know she’s no slouch - it was impressive work and the feel she gave me was very good. I think if we can get her mannerisms right in the run, the rest will take care of itself.”

Trying to crack his first Group 1 win: “I certainly am. I came so close last year in the Derby and it has just fuelled the fire. With a nice book of rides heading into Saturday, hopefully we can go one step closer.

“It is been a character building year but if I was able to get that elusive Group 1 win it would mean the world to me. It is obviously something that we get out of bed at 4am most mornings but if it was to happen then it would be the icing on the cake. 

“It has been a challenging year but I’m very fortunate I’ve got great support behind me and as long as I can continue to ride well, I think it can happen.”

Crowds back: “It’s certainly going to be unusual. 10,000 is probably going to feel like 100,000 given that we haven’t seen people for that long. 

Master Of Wine - Melbourne Cup - first Cup ride: “It certainly is a big opportunity for me. I’m ever so grateful to the Hawkes Team. He’s a horse I’ve had a bit to do with, riding him in The Bart Cummings. It was a fantastic run by him. Arguably if he didn’t get caught up with Selino in the early part of the straight then he finishes closer. 

“He’s well-weighted to run a very good race in the Cup but just to be in the race is an overwhemling feeling.

“I didn’t ride him in the Caulfield Cup - I was on Selino - and I could see Master Of Wine ahead of me. He was going to the line well enough and he’ll definitely eat up the two miles here. Again, the Cup is all about a bit of luck so if we can draw a nice gate and get a soft run, I’ll be happy to finish the top ten.

“Riding in the Cup is the stuff you dream of as a little kid. Four years I’ve been in Melbourne now and I’ve been working my backside off so it is a great opportunity.”

Family news: “To be honest I forgot to tell them. I’m sure they might find out now.”

Damien Thornton

Cerberus - Derby: “He looks like a really nice horse. He worked well this morning so I’m pretty happy to be riding him.

“He hasn’t had a  run since winning in Adelaide so I’m sure he’ll run well. He’s a progressive type and the way he feels he’s only going to get better as the distances get further. I don’t think the 2500 metres will phase him on Saturday. We’ll just need a bit of luck. 

“I’m sure Anthony & sam wouldn’t be running him for the hell of it. I’ll have to get a bit of cover and get him to switch off, then build up from the half mile and find something to bring him into it.

“I quite enjoy riding in these staying races and assessing where to get the right run.”

Extreme Flight - Coolmore: “I didn’t expect him to be running in a Group 1 after winning the maiden but that wasn’t a bad field. He’s just kept improving and with the right run hopefully he can take that next step. 

Yearning - Wakeful: “If she runs I’m sure she’ll be right in it. She obviously is a very good filly.”   

“It’ll be interesting to see how he progresses. Some say that (1200) down the straight is like 1400 metres around a bend so I think he’ll be ok. To me she feels like a genuine stayer and the 2000 metres and 2500 would suit.”

Ocean Billy - Melbourne Cup: “I thought his run in the Caulfield Cup was ok. He ran ninth and was just a little bit one-paced. Probably didn’t handle the soft track that day so I’m hoping for a dry track here. I think he could run in the top ten.

“I was happy enough with his work.

“It is exciting. It’ll be a bit of fun more than anything.”

James McDonald

Tutukaka - Derby: “He is by the right saire and it looks like he’ll stayed the trip really well. He’s had a nice grounding for this gruelling 2500 metres so I’m sure he’ll be around the mark. 

“Tony Pike is really happy with him but it’ll be the first time I’ve sat on him.”

Opposition: “I thought Gunstock was super at Caulfield. Forgot You has got a bit of brilliance to him so it’s going to be an even race but there is defintely a long tail to the field so I think he (Tutkaka) can be in the top five.”

Home Affairs - Coolmore: “I sat on him this morning and he only did an even bit of work - nothing spectacular - but he cruised through his paces well. Wasn’t there to break any records. A beautiful colt who has good form coming out of The Everest - which he failed at, but it was a proper race and it was a testing race for him.

“He was up on speed and was only beaten five lengths. It was a nice grounding for him. He seems fine to me and hasn’t taken any harm out of that race.

“We were vying for lead there and there was some strong tempo throughout. He is a young horse who did a lot wrong. He was very keen through the middle stages and so he’s battled on to run reasonably well.

“Whether it is the right form race coming into this, we’ll find out. He’s a beautiful colt with a good action, a good mind and I’m sure he’ll handle the straight well.”

Cascadian - Cantala: “Looking forward to him, actually. I won on him before. He’s in really good form. Big field and back to Flemington will suit him. I’m sure he’ll be hitting the line like he always does. 

“I thought his run in the Epsom was super. He ran up the back of them late. I thought the form out of that isn’t too bad and it was a pretty good renewal, strong race and he’s in this Cantala up to his ears really.”

Amarelinha - Empire Rose: “On class alone she is well up to it. She’s just got to find a little bit and I think she can. If she brought her three-year-old form to this then I definitely think she can win the race. She loves firm ground which she should get.

“The mile suits and she had a nice mile lead-up run without any luck in Sydney carrying a lot of weight.

“Back to set weights, mares, she should be very hard to beat.

“I rode her this morning and I was happy with her. She’s still got a little bit to come in the coat but she’s going along beautifully.”

Daisies - Wakeful: “Looks like a really exciting filly stepping up to the Oaks trips. Be great to see her perform well leading into the Oaks. It’s a really good form race leading into the Oaks.”

Brooklyn Hustle - Linlithgow: “Brooklyn has been unlucky. That is the story of her life, really.” 

Away He Goes - Melbourne Cup: “I don’t know a lot about him, to be honest. I’m going to have a sit on him tomorrow. He travelled over fine. He lost a little bit of weight as you’d expect. He’s a big horse from all reports. I thought his form in Europe was reasonable behind one of the best stayers over there. 

“I think he’s jogging on the spot and if he’s arrived here in good order he’ll run well.

“He’s got similar form to Spanish Mission and they’ve given him good raps so we’ll take a line through that. Albeit his winning form isn’t great but I think he looks fantastic from the pictures I’ve seen and I’m looking forward to seeing him tomorrow.

“He looks a nice ride especially with the weight that he’s been allocated. Should be around the mark. 

Incentivise: “At the moment it looks (to be) a one horse race, to be honest. But you never know, he (Incentivise) might stub his toe with the big weight.

“He’s been outstanding. He’s been faultless but in saying that he’s still got to carry the big lump of weight but he has earned it. The way he won the Caulfield Cup was pretty awesome.” 

Zaaki - MackInnon: “He’s bounced through it alright. Hopefully it was just a little 12-hour sort of thing but they say he’s in good form now. Unfortunately it happened on Cox Plate Day. But there’s good racing every week and he’s got another option there in two weeks’ time.

“His runs haven’t been too bad. He’s still a Group 1 winner here and done a reasonably good job. Maybe Caulfield tripped him up a bit but apart from that, Annabel seems happy with him. I haven’t seen him yet. Hopefully I will next week.  

Nature Strip - VRC Classic: “He’s in really good form. I can’t believe how well he’s going. He looks a beautiful ride up the Flemington straight. In terms of horses going good. I don’t think he’ll take harm out of The Everest.

“We expected him to win The Everest. He was going that well, airborne. The way he was executing, his demeanor. He was just in the zone. It was disappointing to see him get beaten second-up but as Chris always does, he gets the right on the day. I’m sure in ten days time it will be no different.

“I haven’t sat on him since The Everest but if he turns up in that form he’ll be hard to beat.”

Peter Snowden

Mirra Vision - Empire Rose: “She’s in good form. Coming off her last preparation, it was a good win. The best we’ve ever had with her. She’s in good fettle and worked nicely this morning on the right leg.

“It is a weight-for-age race and there’s be some fair horses in the race and she’s giving away some weight but is on the up and deserves a crack at a race like this on Saturday.

“She’s on-pace and travels well. First crack at a mile and she ran that really well and won by a good margin.”

Did he think she’d compete in races like this so soon: “Not this early. Maybe next year. The plan was to bring her here at this time of year and get her benchmark up to feature in some of these black type races but she has been going in leaps and bounds. “

Carif - Melbourne Cup: “He’s in good order. I’m happy with him. He went around last Saturday and had his CT scan yesterday so waiting on the results for that. All being well he’ll be down here on Wednesday or Thursday morning.

“It is a different preparation to previous years. He’s tried and tested at two miles. He won the Sandown Cup and ran second in the Brisbane Cup over two miles so you know he’s going to run the trip.”

Marboosha - Furphy Sprint: “She’s won down the straight here before and she’s vey fresh from a jump out on Friday so I’m happy to have her there in that race on Saturday.”

Nick Ryan

Express Pass: “I thought he was very brave (in the Manikato). The barrier didn’t really help him and he got a fair way out of his ground. But he has come through the run really well. He’s a sound, happy, fit horse so we’ll head to Cup Day most likely in the 1200m Listed race.”

“He’s bouncing and been really good in the feed bin.”

Regardsmaree - Cup Day: “He has come through that last run super. He was crowded for a bit of room on the fence and was a little bit unlucky. To get back to Flemington on his home track, they seem to run rally well.”

Sean Keogh (Godolphin)

Colette - Empire Rose: “Came off a lovely win at Caulfield last start. Worked well this morning on the course proper - was excellent. We’re very pleased with her.

“It was a fair effort by the team to get her back to winning ways. I think the market on the day at Caulfield suggested that it was a given that she should win, but it was a Group 2 and it was a tough effort from the mare to come back to seven furlongs and win that race.

“The effort that the team put in to get that foot right and the Equicast and the three-quarter plate on, with the freshen up between runs we’ve seen her been effective over 1400 metres so we’ve got no doubt that she’ll be competitive against the mares only over a mile.”

Character: “Nice piece of work. He’s had plenty of grounding, this horse. He races through the winter and the early part of the spring. We gave him a month let-up leading into the Geelong Classic and he showed us that he was competitive enough in a strongly run race. He stuck it out well.

“You’d imagine that he’s one of the more experienced horses in the race and expect to see that take him a long way.”

Ingratiating - Coolmore: “Excellent against the weight-for-age horses on Friday night at The Valley.  It was a really super run to be running third. He has backed up just once in his career after winning the Talindert up the straight. He backed up in the Blue Diamond and ran a close second.’

“We feel like off of that recipe that he has come through the run well and we’re looking to get him back to his own age group on Saturday. 

“He’s a horse that takes plenty of work. He cops it really well and the way it lines up with the back-up, it is something that James picked would benefit this horse. 

Stalking: “She’s one of the fillies that we had at the end of her two-year-old year and she’s progressed gradually up in distance. Last start at Caulfield it was a muddling run race but we could still see her tacking on late. We imagine with the open space here at Flemington and up in trip again will suit the filly.”