3 minute read

What the beaten jockeys had to say after the Golden Slipper Day and Moonee Valley features.

MOONEE VALLEY

Group 1 - 3 Point Motors William Reid Stakes (3yo+ WFA - 1200m)

Race Result:

1st: Imperatriz (O Bosson/M Walker) - $1.70F
2nd: Johnny Rocker (R McLeod/N Ryan) - $71
3rd: I Am Me (B Melham/C Maher) - $6.50

Winning Time: 1:09.99    Last 600m: N/A

Margins: Short Neck x 2L

Beaten jockey comments:

Declan Bates (The Astrologist): "He was a bit slow out of the gates today which cost him his chance. He finished off OK but he lost it at the start."

Jake Noonan (The Inferno): "It was a good return and he'll take some good improvement off that and hopefully he'll improve off that."

Harry Coffey (Queman): "He rounded out the race good. He missed the start and that put us back in an awkward spot but he finished off well."

Rhys McLeod (Johnny Rocker): "Unbelievable effort by him. We wanted to follow the mare throughout, we did, and he just kept coming up underneath me. I thought we were a real shot at the top of the straight, but she's a real tough mare."

John Allen (Bella Nipotina): "She was honest. She ran well."

Ben Melham (I Am Me): "Terrific run first-up. It's her toughest assignment first-up, 1200 metres at Group 1. She's only going to improve off that and the winner is a freak."

Billy Egan (Queen Of The Ball): "She did what she did, but she landed in a handier position than we probably thought she would."

Michael Dee (Hypothetical): "Probably conditions at weight-for-age were a bit too tough for her. She loves the rail and down the side is very average at this stage of the day but she still tried hard."

Beau Mertens (Cylinder): "He jumped well, travelled nicely. We landed exactly where we would have liked to be. He tracked up and I thought when the pressure came on he just struggled to pick up with them and unfortunately he wasn't there today. He more a class horse than he showed today."

ROSEHILL

Group 1 - TAB Golden Slipper (2yo SW - 1200m)

Race Result:

1st: Lady Of Camelot (G Waterhouse & A Bott/B Shinn) - $6.50
2nd: Coleman (M Laurie/K McEvoy) - $41
3rd: Storm Boy (G Waterhouse & A Bott/R Moore) - $2.60F

Winning Time: 1:09.76 Last 600m: 34.66

Margins: Head x 1½L

Beaten jockey comments: 

Ryan Moore (Storm Boy): "Didn't begin as cleanly as I would have liked. Had to switch my run toward the inside which wasn't ideal. He's a very talented horse. Didn't have the rub of the green today. Probably improve when he goes a bit further."

Sam Clipperton (Fully Lit): "He ran a really good race. Very brave and have a good kick. Just felt the pinch late."

Regan Bayliss (Shangri La Express): "He got into a lovely rhythm out in front, had his ears pricked. Just had to come towards the middle of the track. He got a little bit lost out there. Probably a little bit disappointing overall." 

Chad Schofield (Rue De Royale): "I thought he ran very well. He found it a bit quick in the first half but he came off the bridle and quickened nicely. More suited over 1400m."

Craig Williams (Traffic Warden): "For a horse who is still developing, his performance to run fourth today was exceptional."

Tim Clark (Straight Charge): "I thought it was a brave performance on speed. I felt the winner at the 300m but he still ran really well."

James McDonald (Switzerland): "He just came off the bridle a long way from home. I think he has come to the end of it."

Mark Zahra (Bodyguard): "Just didn't finish off today."

Hugh Bowman (Dublin Down): "He paid the price for the wider barrier. I was proud of his effort. I thought he had enough at the furlong but is one to follow into his 3yo career."

Kerrin McEvoy (Coleman): "Huge run by him. Great training effort by Matty. He had to come up to Sydney, back up, had the little foot issue. He felt great the horse, lovely individual. I thought I was the winner at the 300m, he gave a nice kick and Blake just got the splits. Too good the last three or four strides. Brilliant effort by him and by Matt."

Tom Marquand (Holmes A Court): "He went forward into a nice position, relaxed good and ran a solid race."

Adam Hyeronimus (Prost): "I thought there was merit to the run. He got back and settled nicely but I felt the speed increased for him when they came out of the chute. It sent him spinning a bit until we got to the furlong really when he made ground late." 

Jamie Kah (Hayasugi): "Lucky we got around in the end. She nearly fell over out of the gates and nearly fell over again. A non event today."

Jason Collett (Manaal): "She has gone great. Just the barrier draw really. If she draws a gate she is closer and closer in the finish."

Damian Lane (Eneeza): "She ran super. She is so honest, just had to give some ground from the start and poor barrier. Ultimately I couldn't pick them up. She finished strongly."

Group 1 - Kia Ora Galaxy (3yo+ Handicap - 1100m)

Race Result:

1st: Zapateo (J Cummings/K McEvoy) - $26
2nd: Sunshine In Paris (A Neasham/J Collett) - $5.50F
3rd: Front Page (M Dale/T Schiller) - $13

Winning Time: 1:02.95 Last 600m: 33.85

Margins: Head x Long Head

Beaten jockey comments: 

Nash Rawiller (Private Eye): "I think he has got on two tracks that have been shifty. He hasn't been able to get a great grip of them. He hasn't performed with the same confidence he normally would. He is not able to make his own luck like he normally would as he's not getting up under me and travelling like he normally would. I don't think anything went right for us today. I think he's on track for the big race." 

Damian Lane (Uncommon James): "He tried hard. Honest horse, just couldn't quite keep galloping on that solid tempo. Something for him this prep."

James McDonald (Aft Cabin): "He just copped interference everywhere."

Dylan Gibbons (Buenos Noches): "I think he went better than it looked. I'd like to see him at Randwick not Rosehill."

Tom Marquand (Kallos): "Just ended up behind the scrimmaging early. Battled on well to the line."

Tommy Berry (Remarque): "He just needed to flow into it a bit earlier than we did. An honest effort."

Tim Clark (Asfoora): "She did a great job from the widest gate. If she drew softer she was in the finish."

Jordan Childs (Passive Aggressive): "She ran really well. The fast pace took us off the bridle earlier than we would have liked."

Jason Collett (Sunshine In Paris): "Great run. Felt like the winner but not in time."

Rachel King (Ozzmosis): "I don't think he had any feet on the ground when the gates opened. His head was somewhere between his legs so the race was over."

Tyler Schiller (Front Page): "Massive run. He is one of my favourites. Good to see him get a placing on the board in a G1."

Jamie Kah (King's Gambit): "Not comfortable at all today. As soon as he gets pressure he loses 3 or 4 lengths. He ran OK but not the way the race was run."

Zac Lloyd (Derry Grove): No comment

Group 1 - The Agency George Ryder Stakes (3yo+ WFA - 1500m)

1st: Veight (T&C McEvoy/D Lane) - $8
2nd: Lady Laguna (A Neasham/T Schiller) - $8
3rd: Militarize (C Waller/J McDonald) - $4.80

Winning Time: 1:xx.xx Last 600m: 3x.xx

Margins: Short Head x 1L

Beaten jockey comments:

Sam Clipperton (Think About It): "I thought he ran really well. The wide draw made it difficult. I just needed to be in a spot straight away rather than continuing to flow up outside the leader. But he stuck to his task. Was only run down the last 100m."

Adam Hyeronimus (Cepheus): "He was alright."

Hugh Bowman (Pericles): "He found the pace a bit frantic. He did hit the line very well."

Nash Rawiller (Kovalica): "He is a beautiful horse. We were forced to get right out of our ground today. He felt like he gave me a great feel over the last 100m suggesting that even another 100m he is right in the finish. Definitely watch him in the Doncaster and look I think he is a horse that can press onto the Queen Elizabeth."

Tommy Berry (Golden Mile): "Nice to see him back running well." 

Kerrin McEvoy (Navajo Peak): "He has actually stayed on well. We were caught without any cover and he was a little bit outpaced but his last furlong was good. A bit further suits him."

Tom Sherry (Unspoken): "He was OK. Just feel as though he is looking for a bit further now."

Jordan Childs (Bandersnatch): "He is going as well as he can."

Dylan Gibbons (Loch Eagle): "I was disappointed but the last furlong he was still going OK. Not sure."

Tom Marquand (Mighty Ulysses): "Just got run up the fence a couple of times. It got a bit tight. Might take a bit of geting used to Australian style of racing for him."

Jason Collett (New Energy): "Great late. Just got a long way back."

Mark Zahra (Amenable): "He was plain today."

Jamie Kah (Cosmic Vega): "He is a nice horse. He did everything wrong today. There is a nice race in him."

Tyler Schiller (Lady Laguna): "She has probably cemented herself as a G1 horse now. She has won one and run a close second. She has a terrific turn of foot. She has shown she can run a 1500m. I don't know if it was as strong as her 1300m but I think 1400m might be her pet distance. Hopefully the All Aged is her race."

James McDonald (Militarize): "Good solid run."

Blake Shinn (Encap): "He ran well. I just needed him to be a bit more active from the gates to take up a bit closer spot but he ran 6th and acquitted himself well. Did a good job."

Zac Lloyd (Tiz Invincible): "Really good run. Positive going forward how well she relaxed out the back. Did her best work late."

Group 1 - Sky Racing Rosehill Guineas (3yo SW - 2000m)

Race Result:

1st: Riff Rocket (C Waller/N Rawiller) - $2.70F
2nd: Ceolwulf (J Pride/B Shinn) - $15
3rd: Cap Ferrat (C Waller/R Moore) - $18

Winning Time: 2:03.03 Last 600m: 34.35

Margins: ¾L x Neck

Beaten jockey comments:

Tom Marquand (Cafe Millenium): "Found a nice place but raced up after a furlong. Once he got his gas up it was a bit of a battle." 

Hugh Bowman (Tom Kitten): "We had a beautiful run. Travelled very well. Sprinted through like I was going to figure but it was a short sprint and he kept building to the line. Further won't hurt."

Mark Zahra (King Colorado): "Just a fair run. Didn't go great, didn't go bad."

Tim Clark (Ganbare): "Another improved performance. He's racing really well. Heading in the right direction."

Luke Currie (Immediacy): "Good effort. He had to push forward from wide and he pulled a little bit. Still good effort."

Ryan Moore (Cap Ferrat): "Good run. Happy."

Blake Shinn (Ceolwulf): "Super run. Got into a nice spot. A bit flat footed when the sprint went on. He closed off really well. Riff Rocket is a great 3yo but my horse ran bravely."

Tyler Schiller (Ducasse): "I think he's racing really well. He put himself in a good spot today. He just wanted to hang out a little bit coming up the rise. I thought his last bit he got going again when he got a check at the 300m and took his momentum. I thought he was good late."

Chad Schofield (Cosmic Lad): "He's done it all in one prep, one campaign. So I think he can have a break now. He might come back a decent horse."

Reece Jones (Steel Blaze): "Whacked away. Obviously stiffer competition than he's been up against before but he's still learning his craft and wants a bit of time."

Group 1 - Ranvet Stakes (3yo+ WFA - 2000m)

Race Result:

1st: Via Sistina (C Waller/J McDonald) - $2.30F
2nd: Place Du Carrousel (A&S Freedman/T Berry) - $6
3rd: Buckaroo (C Waller/R Moore) - $9

Winning Time: 2:04.49 Last 600m: 33.48

Margins: 1¼L x ½ Head

Beaten jockey comments:

Nash Rawiller (Think It Over): "I don't think he was at his best. Travelled beautifully in front and gave me a lovely ride. He was a bit reluctant to go into the gates today which is the first sign for me of a good horse that something isn't 100%. He was more than comfortable throughout the run. I felt when I really asked him to lengthen under pressure, he didn't quite do that like he normally does. At this stage fingers crossed that he has come through the race well. I'm sure he will, there is nothing seriously wrong. I think it's the first sign that it might be the time to back off."

Adam Hyeronimus (Military Mission): "I thought he's run fantastic."

Ryan Moore (Buckaroo): "He ran well."

Hugh Bowman (Zeyrek): "Had a beautiful run in transit. Probably should have gone up the fence."

Tommy Berry (Place Du Carrousel): "Just amazing. I expected that from her from her work during the week. It's nice to see when they can do it on race day. She will obviously appreciate getting over further but it was a nice starting point."