Winning Horse: Opal Ridge

3yoF Rubick (Aus) - Chadana (Aus) (Myboycharlie (IRE))

7 Starts - 4 wins - 2 placings $428450

Career Wins

1st Class 3 Highway Handicap 1200m (2022)

1st Benchmark 58 Handicap 1100m (2022)

1st 2YO Open 1000m (2022)

Black Type Placings

2nd Listed Heritage Stakes 1100m (2022)

Race Result:

1st: Opal Ridge (L Pepper/T Schiller) - $2.40F
2nd: Pericles (J Cummings/G Schofield) - $7.50
3rd: Dashing Legend (M, W & J Hawkes/J Ford) - $8

Winning Time: 1:29.69 Last 600m: 39.95

Margins: 2½L x 5½L

Winning Trainer: Luke Pepper

Thoughts on Opal Ridge: “I wasn’t worried about the 1400m, it was just the heavy ground but jeez she got through it really good. She has been a star to us. We’re just so happy to have her.”

On deliberating over to push on this campaign after latest outing: “After last run I was looking for any excuse to put her in the paddock but she was jumping out of her skin. I galloped her and she flew. We threw a late nom in for this race with the big prizemoney and we pulled it off.”

On winning a $500,000 event: “This is the first and am hoping there is plenty more.”

On winning a race named after Ian Craig and John Tapp: “I remember strapping at the old Randwick, we used to come out of the enclosure over there and listen to their calls. It is a great honour to win the first race.”

Thoughts on not gaining a Kosciuzko slot: “There would be a few slot owners sitting at home wishing they had her.”

Winning Jockey: Tyler Schiller

On being brave: “She is. I put her in a gap at the top of the straight and she cruised past the two in front of her. She just sort of waited and pricked her ears and I thought late she was digging in really strong and I never got to ride her out properly so she’s got a bit of improvement.”

On the track conditions: “It’s rideable with horses that handle it, but it’s pretty dangerous.”

On stewards asking jockeys to stay off the inside: “I had a bit of pressure on the outside, I was still one off the fence but I was mindful not to cut the corner early and got out to the middle of them. She’s very game and nice filly.”

Beaten Jockeys:

Kerrin McEvoy (Basquiat): “Just struggled to make ground.”

Tommy Berry (Ringmaster): “He battled away but hard to give an opinion on any horse on that track.”

Josh Parr (Burgunder): “He came off the bit far too soon to figure in the finish.”

Nash Rawiller (Hawaii Five Oh): “He was good in the run but off the bridle he nearly fell over.”

Glyn Schofield (Pericles): “It was a big jump from a provincial maiden to today but he has covered himself with glory. Had a tough run but stuck to his guns.”

Brenton Avdulla (Badge): “Nearly fell over the whole way around. Struggled through the ground.”

Keagan Latham (Chairman): “Really happy with his run up to a point. Travelled quite nicely but when I really asked for an effort he was bogged down.”

Jay Ford (Dashing Legend): “She tried very hard in testing conditions. Controlled from the front and she boxed on well.”

Race Photo: