3 minute read

Trainer and jockey quotes following the SCAADA Group Services Country Trainers Series Final won by Big Brew at Geelong on Friday.

Race Result:

1st: Big Brew (L Hope/J Hill) - $7
2nd: Paint Me Red (B Scott/M Chadwick) - $21
3rd: Claidheamh Mor (G Rielly/J Bowditch) - $2.70 fav

Winning Time: 1:30.76 Last 600m: N/A

Margins: 1/2L x Neck

Lee & Shannon Hope take out the Country Trainers Series Final thanks to a massive finish from Big Brew @hope_racing @Jack_Hill25 pic.twitter.com/bhAcy9BKf6

— Racing.com (@Racing) April 7, 2023

Winning Trainer: Lee Hope

How good to win a $150,000 race: "It's excellent. It's good for the horse, it's good for the owner for sending us the horse and for myself and Shannon, we're very happy.

"It's a good day and a good cause."

Feel he was ready to do something like that: "His run at Kilmore was quite good first-up and his run at Benalla, the winner was too good, but he had done well during the week and he was coming here, they were a little bit similar sorts of horses, but for great prize money."

Thoughts watching the race: "Jack rode him excellent. He was always going to be in the finish."

Winning Jockey: Jack Hill

Ridden past couple: "His last run at Benalla, five weeks between runs, I thought his run was pretty good. The quick back-up into today I think was the right thing to do. Shannon and Lee have done a great job and it's good to ride another winner for them."

Happy throughout the run: "I was. I spoke to Lee prior and we didn't want to be out there, we wanted to be in and riding for a little bit of luck, but from the gate I was in that spot where I was three-wide with cover. I wanted to nurse him around the corner, but the horse I was following wasn't going anywhere, so I had to come out and put him into the race. He was always going to pick them up and while he's had plenty of racing, he's still a cunning old bugger. You have to give him a couple to make sure he's going to do the job."