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Review - Group One Racing from Randwick on Epsom Stakes Day

G1 The Star 150th Epsom Handicap

Race Result
1st: Winx - $3.10
2nd: Ecuador - $26.00
3rd: Sons Of John - $18.00
Winning Time: 1:34.58 Last 600m: 34.98
Margins: 2 ¼ x ½ Head

Winning Trainer: Chris Waller

On the win: “It was an awful scrimmage turning for home. I admit I closed my eyes hoping for the best because all you hope is your horses come home well. For her to pick herself up after that and put herself back in the race before bursting through like she did, it was pretty special.

“It is pretty special.”

On Winx: “Her winning strike rate separates her from a lot of horses. She overcomes barrier draws, track conditions and distances.

“It is a big effort, she had a long three-year-old year. She has been everywhere and she is still firing. For her to come back as a four-year-old is pretty special.”

Future plans: “We’ll have to wait and see how she pulls up. There is a lot of water to go under the bridge and I guess it is all about seeing what the opposition is.”

Winning Jockey: Hugh Bowman

On Winx: “She is a superstar in the making. Look I don’t like to get carried away.”

“She got stood on her head at the 450, to get herself re-gathered and composed and won with authority.”

“I’d just like to congratulate Chris Waller on his management of the horse. As an Autumn 3yo filly she didn’t show what we expected of her. He put her away and looked after her. Now he’s reaping the rewards.”

“So thankful to ride an animal of this calibre. It’s a privilege.”

Beaten Jockeys:

Tye Angland (Hooked): “I thought I had a really good run, I would just like to see the horse have a little bit more fight in him, he dashed for 100m, but once he got headed and it became a dog fight he catted it a bit.”

Zac Purton (Lucia Valentina): “She was disappointing, she jumped well today and was in a good spot, but when the gap presented itself there was nothing there.”

Tommy Berry (Entirely Platinum): “He ran really well, I probably should have let him slide a bit more from the 600m and he might have gone gone close to the placings. He ran well.”

Jay Ford (Messene): “He attacked the line really well.”

Luke Tarrant (Rudy): “He ran good, he’s just probably not that sort of horse you can take him inside them like that, with a bit of luck we could on Winx’s back and it would have been a different race.”

Glen Boss (Ecuador): “He ran his heart out, the winner was obviously way too good. He put his cards on the table today and really had a go.”

Blake Shinn (Kirramosa): “She was a little bit one-paced, just raced like she wants 2000m.”

James Mcdonald (Sweynesse): “I’m a little bit disappointed in him, he needs to find.”

Jim Cassidy (Sadler's Lake): “He ran super he was obviously disadvantaged at the weights, I think he is looking for 2000m.”

Jeff Penza (Sons Of John): “Horse went super he did everything right again. He’s proven himself at this level now. He’s on his way.”

Joao Moreira (Malice): “Really good run from a horse he seems to be a longer distance type of horse.”

Jason Collett (Teronado): “He found the line nicely, but just lacked that dash when they sprinted. He takes a few strides to get going. His last furlong was strong.”

Glyn Schofield (Pressing): “Jumped well and put himself into a good spot. Bit of a muddling speed, the firm track probably didn’t help him.”

G1 Coolmore Flight Stakes

Race Result
1st: Speak Fondly - $2.30
2nd: Honesta - $9.50
3rd: Perignon - $17.00
Winning Time: 1:35.91 Last 600m: 35.06
Margins: Short ½ Head x Short ½ Head

Winning Trainer: Gai Waterhouse

Final stages: “Tommy (Berry) sat there and sat there and I thought ‘oh my gosh, please go’. Then of course when he let the throttle out, the other horse was breathing down his neck.

On the filly: “You can’t take anything away from her. She is the best three-year-old filly in Australia, she will go to the paddock now, back to Gooree where she was bred.

“She is as tough as teak, she is durable and you saw the form (franked) when the colt (Exosphere) won today and she ran second to him (Golden Rose). Now she has come out and won the Flight Stakes, she is top class.”

Future plans: “She will come back in the autumn and win the Coolmore Classic. A top class filly is what you’ve seen today.”

On winning another Flight Stakes to pass TJ Smith as record holder: “Dad taught me well.”

Winning Jockey: Tommy Berry

On the Win: “It’s magic especially when you are in those close finishes and I have you (Bernadette Cooper) canter beside me it’s the best feeling in the world.”

“Full credit to Gai. She has had this filly flying since day one. Look to be honest I don’t know if she ran the mile out that well today but she was just tough.”

“I remember saying during the week that she is very similar to Sweet Idea. Going back and watching a few of her replays they were exactly the same.”

On her toughness: “She didn’t want to get beaten it was as simple as that. As I said she was a beaten horse at the 200m, didn’t feel like she ran the mile out at all. She was just too good for them.

On the confidence in the run: “We had a nice time. I probably would have liked the stable mate to go a touch quicker. I got to her a bit too early.”

“But it’s a G1, we won who cares.”

Beaten Jockeys:

Joao Moreira (Kimberley Star): “She was a bit keen, we intended to ride her a bit more quiet today and she just didn’t relax for the first half of the race. But she ran home strongly.”

Hugh Bowman (Perignon): “Make no excuses the winner was the best horse on the day, but I was delighted with my filly.”

Tye Angland (Honesta): “Had the run of the race from gate one, moving forward beautiful Oaks ride.”

James Mcdonald (Pearls): “Very happy with her, she’s come a long way in a short period of time. She’ll keep improving.”

Tim Clark (Flamboyant Lass): “She ran great first go at a mile, she wasn’t beaten far and fought on really well.”

Blake Shinn (Sempre Libera): “She travelled sweetly, but when the sprint went on she was a little one-paced.”

Glyn Schofield (Ocean Tempest): “Obviously today’s race was just a bit beyond her, but she’ll come back better for it.”

Zac Purton (Gone To Paris): “They just went way too slow for her she over raced, but she ran a credible race, she isn’t far off this level.”

Opie Bosson (Sofia Rosa): “She ran home okay, I’d say six months away.”

Jeff Penza (Lauren's Magic): “Back to her own grade I think she will be very competitive.”

G1 McGrath Estate Agents Metropolitan

Race Result
1st: Magic Hurricane - $3.10
2nd: Beaten Up - $10.00
3rd: Havana Cooler - $10.00
Winning Time: 2:28.52 Last 600m: 35.81
Margins: 2L x Long Head

Winning Trainer: John O’Shea

On training five winners on the day: “It is the best team I have ever taken to a racetrack. It was a wonderful team effort led by our jockey James (McDonald). I need to make special mention to both Brad Widdup and Paul Reid who run both Osborne Park and Crown Lodge. They have been out the back, toiling all day in the hot looking after all the horses and the staff. It all came to fruition today.”

Moving forward to the Melbourne Spring: “We’ve got to get them to go well when we get to Melbourne too. It is always good to on your home turf and we have an advantage because of Osborne Park. We’ve got to get them to carry that form through to Melbourne and that will be the challenge for the team going forward over the next month.”

Caulfield Cup plans: “Magic (Hurricane) has hopefully made his way into the race (Caulfield Cup). He is just coming right. I said to the boys he will be at his top after this race. He still raced beautifully.”

“He will have to get a penalty. If they are happy enough to have him then we would like to run him and have three nice chances in the race.”

Winning Jockey: James McDonald

On riding five winners: “Yeah it is amazing, it’s actually fantastic to be apart of Godolphin’s team. I play a very small role but I’m just privileged that I’m riding for one of greatest empires in the world.”

On living his dream: “It’s what fairytales are made of.”

Of the run in transit: “Yeah beautiful. Gate one was just so important for us to win this race. As soon as the barriers came out I went yeah baby.”

On running the trip: “I think so (re the mile and a half as far as he wants to go). Personally I think he is a ten furlong, mile and a half horse.”

“Credit to Sheikh Mohammed. He’s bought six Europeans down and three of them have won G1 races. So let’s hope Hartnell adds another one.”

Beaten Jockeys:

Glyn Schofield (Beaten Up): “The winner showed a superior turn of speed, but he’s back, he’s in good form.”

Opie Bosson (Junoob): “He got to the line okay.”

Tye Angland (Opinion): “Good run, followed Beaten Up but just couldn’t beat him home.”

Hugh Bowman (Beyond Thankful): “He didn’t run to his best today, but he has done a good job this preparation.”

Blake Shinn (Bonfire): “He was a little bit one-paced at the top of the straight, but stuck on well.”

Michael Walker (Almoonqith): “They went too slow for him, but he needs to be ridden forward.”

Craig Williams (Chance To Dance): “His last 100m he finished off as good as any of them.”

Zac Purton (Orbec): “He ran a good race, obviously made all out in front and stuck on well.”

Tim Clark (Disclaimer): “No good.”

Jason Collett (Maurus): “Probably a touch keen mid race there, presented him at the right time, but just wasn’t good enough.”

Joao Moreira (Havana Cooler): “It was a lovely run from this horse, he finished off strong. Not enough to trouble the winner, which seems to be very special, but I was happy.”

Thomas Huet (Ghost Protocol): “We had a good run, just doesn’t switch off.”