All-Star Mile Day (Moonee Valley) – March 13th

ALL-STAR MILE

(WFA - 1600m)

Post Race Details & Comments

Winning Horse: Mugatoo (Ire)

6yoG Henrythenavigator (USA) - Elopa (Ger)(Tiger Hill (Ire))

18 starts - 9 wins 2 seconds 1 third 1 fourth $3214517

Black Type Wins

1st G3 Newcastle Sharp Electronics N'castle Cup 2300m (2020)

1st G3 Rosehill Iron Jack Premiers Cup 1900m (2020)

1st LR Rosehill Iron Jack Winter Challenge 1500m (2020)

1st LR Canberra Tab Canberra Cup 2000m (2020)

Black Type Placings

2nd G1 Randwick The Metropolitan 2400m (2020)

2nd G3 Rosehill N.E. Manion Cup 2400m (2020)

Other Wins

1st Randwick-Kensington Tab (Bm76) 1800m (2020)

1st Randwick The Coopers Hotel Newtown-Bm88 1600m (2020)

1st Gb - Doncaster Happy 40Th Birthday Darren Tomlinson Handicap 2922m (2019)

1st Gb - Lingfield Epsom Derby Betting At 188Bet Maiden Auction Stakes (Plus 10) 2334m (2018)

Race Result:

1st: Mugatoo (Hugh Bowman/Kris Lees) - $8

2nd: Russian Camelot (Damien Oliver/Danny O’Brien) - $4.20
3rd: Behemoth (Craig Williams/David Jolly) - $15

Winning Time: 1:39.82  Last 600m: 39.28

Margins: ½L  x 3¼L

Winning Trainer: Kris Lees

“Coming to the corner I was thinking ‘just have no bad luck from here, please’. He was getting a bit tired once he got that clear running but up the straight I thought the other one had his measure but he really rallied and found. It was great to see.

When mate Damien Oliver was coming at him: “I thought ‘here we go’ but there’s no mates out there today.”

On the atmosphere: “It’s great. It’s been well received still with a restricted crowd but the roar went up when the gates opened. It’s putting its footprint on racing now. It’s up and going, isn’t it.

“It’s right up there, great concept and great to be a part of it.”

Australian Bloodstock: “They’re so good. They’re so good to me. To get a quality horse like this to come into your stable it is every trainer’s dream and I’m very fortunate.

The rain: “I just kept looking at the sky all morning waiting for it to come. It certainly enhanced our chances, I’ve got to say.

Winning Jockey: Hugh Bowman

Take us through your emotions:“That is just so exciting. It is amazing the emotion involved with this sport. After rides in race two and five the track is not idea for Mugatoo to run a mile against this opposition, but then the rain that was forecast he came into contention.

“I did not expect to ride him like that. I was hoping to be three deep, getting a trail up.

“I stayed to the rail, gave him the shortest way home. He got into a really good rhythm, but it was not as frantic as I expected it to be with the rain coming.

“Kris Lees has eyed this race off for a long time. He gave him one run in Sydney to prep for it. We all know his best distance is a bit further, but he’s come here in the right order and delivered on the big day.”

Ollie knew how Mugatoo was travelling: “Damien Oliver is someone I have looked up to from a very young age. I have had the privilege to ride against him for a very long time now.

“We’ve both reached the heights of the sport. I could sense him waiting for me to run into trouble, but then all of a sudden a gap appeared in front of me.

“I said to to Cameron Swan (Lees’ foreman) that sometimes the best options are when you don’t have any and Damien really did have control of my fate.

“As things would have it, I got room in front of me and I think the best horse won on the day.

“Full credit to the Australian Bloodstock team. They’re fantastic at identifying these European horses, bringing them here and racing successfully.

I’ve had a long association with them and to deliver the All-Star Mile means a great deal.”

The atmosphere: “It’s great. I’ve come home to a few good roars from the crowd at The Valley and today is no exception. It’s fantastic..”

Winning Owner Ambassador: Matt Forys (& partner Amanda - surname not confirmed)

How it feels to win $250,000: “It’s going to take a little while to sink in, I think. But what a ride by Hughey! I just can’t believe it.

“This (money) couldn’t have come at a better time. We’ve got house plans and it’s just going to make a hell of a lot of difference.

What it means: “It’s life changing. Absolutely life changing. We’ve got three small kids.”

In the run: “It went so slowly in the rain, it was unbelievable. He turned to me about halfway and we looked at each other and thought ‘no, it’s not happening’. Then as quick as that it was all over. We always thought this horse was a legend.”

Beaten jockeys:

William Pike (Sir Dragonet): “Overraced so I wasn’t able to settle him.”

Craig Williams (Behemoth): “I’m so proud of him. It was a gallant performance today. David Jolly and all his team have done a fantastic job with him. He did want to lug out around the turn which is unusual for him, but that might have been because he was not that confident in that type of ground. But still his performance was excellent.”

Zac Spain (Streets Of Avalon): “Jumped slow, caught wide but he was super.”

Jamie Kah (Mr Quickie): “He hated the heavy track.”

Mark Zahra (Star Of The Seas): “I rode him to suit the bias of the track and he ran well.”

Brad Stewart (The Harrovian): “He tried hard. I was happy with his run, he ran good. He always runs a good race and he had his chance, but it was too wet.”

Luke Nolen (Regalo Di Gaetano): “A brave run. The track conspired against us and was too wet for his liking.”

Damien Oliver (Russian Camelot): “Super run. Had a great run through but just found a better wet-tracker on the day.

Damian Lane (Probabeel): “Didn’t handle the track.”

Michael Walker (Shout The Bar): “Didn’t handle the track.”

Jye McNeil (Greysful Glamour): “Just didn’t handle today’s conditions.”

Brendan McCoull (Still A Star): “I don’t know if she handled the class, but she certainly didn’t handle the track. She travelled well, but as soon as the pressure came on, she struggled.”

Noel Callow (Lunar Fox): “Yep, good horse.”

John Allen (Fifty Stars): “Just raced a bit flat but he was good and brave.”

History of Winners

Current Field - Previous Performances

History Placegetters : Statistics from 2000 to 2020

Black Type Form: Last 12 months

Winning Trainers : Statistics from 2000 to 2020

Winning Jockeys : Statistics from 2000 to 2020

Barrier Statistics : Statistics from 2000 to 2020

Winners by Weight : Statistics from 2000 to 2020

Favourites : Statistics from 2000 to 2020

Runner Ages : Statistics from 2000 to 2020