REVIEW: - The Championships Day 1 - As It Happened
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VIEW: Simon Marshall provides his selection for the meeting at Randwick
The Championships: Day 1 – April 2nd
RACE 8
Group 1 - The Star Doncaster Mile
(3YO+ Hcp - 1600m)
Race Result:
1st: Winx - $1.80F
2nd:Happy Clapper - $13.00
3rd: Azkadellia - $9.00
Winning Time: 1:35.27 Last 600m: 36.67
Margins: 2 lengths x ½ Neck
Winning Trainer: Chris Waller
On the build up: “It’s been a pretty tough week, to say the least, it’s taken things to a new level for me. I don’t know how Peter Moody did it is all I can say and I’ve only done it for about five starts.”
On the win: “I thought she was beaten at the half mile, let alone the 600m mark, she was going nowhere and I have never seen Hughie have to niggle her. Even after a few hundred metres, she never gets right back there unless we are taking her back from wide draws but that was not really the plan.
“She just looked like she was skipping a few strides on the track, maybe she wasn’t, but gee she showed some guts that last 200m.
“We took on the handicapper. She’s a champion. Does it get any better? It’s pretty unbelievable.”
On backing up in the QEII: “That’s not today’s problem. We’ll enjoy today and see what happens from here.
Winning Jockey: Hugh Bowman
On the week: “The build up was really something. I can really understand what people that have had other champion race horses go through when they come to the races because the expectation is to win and you have so much confidence in the horse and you have confidence in yourself too.”
“But it’s still horse racing and anyone that been around knows there are plenty of tails to be told. To rely on a horse like this is just unbelievable.”
“It’s an absolute honour to be involved with her and I’d just like to thank the owners and of course Chris Waller and all his staff not only for her, she is the headline act but the whole stable. It’s just a privilege.”
On the pressure: “Yes it is. I wouldn’t lie. And that is what I say the expectation from everyone in racing and beyond, the expectation is to see her victorious. Like I say I’m just so proud of her. She’s a once in a lifetime horse. I can’t believe I’m actually sitting on her.”
On when she goes: “I’ll be honest today. It was the first time in any time I have ridden her that half way through the race I was concerned because the worn track, it’s racing on the worst side of soft in my opinion, Race 9 today, it’s had a fair bit of use.”
“She wasn’t overly comfortable in it so the fact that she wasn’t comfortable and still produced that finish is something of only a horse of champion qualities can do. I’m elated.”
Beaten Jockeys:
Zac Purton (Kermadec): “Very disappointing. I had a lovely run in the race but I don’t know, we’ll see how he pulls up.”
Opie Bosson (Turn Me Loose): “Had his chance. He was a bit disappointing.”
Mark Zahra (Stratum Star): “He had every chance, just a bit good for him.”
James McDonald (Bow Creek): “I thought he went great, just the track was a big problem for him.”
Tommy Berry (First Seal): “From the half mile she really struggled in the conditions, more the shiftiness of the track now it’s a bit chewed up. She’s trying hard, she’s just not having things go her way.”
Corey Brown (Volkstok'n'barrell): “Looked a little disappointing on face value but he really didn’t handle the going at all, dipped and dived the whole way. Actually he didn’t run too bad considering how he never touched the bridle.”
Craig Newitt (Good Project): “He had a good run in the race, he was just a little outclassed when the cream came to the top.”
Brenton Avdulla (Happy Clapper): “I don’t know whether to cry or be happy. I said a month ago he’d win the Donnie and I was heart-broken when Chris said he was going to accept with her but look he’s a star in the making, I’m sure there’s a Group 1 in him.”
Glen Boss (Azkadellia): “She ran terrific. Full credit to the winner, she’s just a big, powerful girl and I was going every bit as good as her coming to the rise and I ducked back to the inside because my mare doesn’t mind soft, but that other mare can just sustain that top speed for so much longer than most, she’s a very good horse.”
Patrick Moloney (He Or She): “That was a pretty good run, just struggled through that sticky patch when Winx and Happy Clapper were able to travel through and expose him. Once he got through that patch he levelled out quite nicely to the line the last furlong.”
Ms T Harrison (Rudy): “I just think he’s looking for further now. Initially I thought maybe the back-up but a few jockeys have said the same thing, he wants 2000m plus. The plan was to be a bit more forward early but he just didn’t show that early toe. I thought his run was actually pretty good if he’s stepping up in distance next start.”
Winona Costin (Aomen): “He tried hard. He didn’t have the best of runs, he got buffeted a bit coming into the straight but he tried hard.”
Kathy O'hara (Vergara): “Terrific run from her, probably a career best. Thought I’d take advantage of the light weight of 50kg and make them chase me from the three and she was tough.”
RACE 8
RACE 7
Race Result:
1st: Tavago - $31.00
2nd: Jameka - $8.00
3rd: Tally - $8.00
Winning Time: 2:33:67 Last 600m: 36.09
Margins: 3 1/4L X 1 1/4L
Co-Winning Trainer: Trent Busuttin
On the win: “I think our first one was the VRC Derby and it’s taken us a while to get another one and its certainly a good one to win.”
On his effort in the New Zealand Derby: “He was a good thing beaten in the NZ Derby so we threw him on the plane and he has just improved.”
On Tommy Berry’s ride: “Tavistocks they are just great horses and Tommy Berry give him the gun ride, box-seated and he was looking good a long way out.”
On sticking to the inside in the straight: “Tommy [Berry] was quite confident before the race, he said it is evening out so I said you’re the best and just do what you do.”
On their upcoming move to Cranbourne in July: “It's a massive boost we are moving over here and I’ve got a stable to fill, I’ve got three of four Tavistock yearlings that I’ve still got to sell so anyone who wants a share give us a yell.”
Co-Winning Trainer: Natalie Young
On the horse: “Going into it he was dappled up he looked amazing, way better than what he did leading into the NZ Derby.”
“He was nice and relaxed out there and Tommy [Berry] gave him a great ride and got him to jump and that was the key. He jumped, box-seated, relaxed nicely and just kicked, it was a phenomenal ride from Tommy [Berry].”
On the future: “We’ve got the Queensland Derby in mind so we might give him a rest for a couple of weeks and just see how he pulls up.”
On their upcoming move to Cranbourne in July:“We’ll be based in Cranbourne permanently from July and will have around 40 boxes. It has certainly been a timely win and I think we have a great team coming over.”
Winning Jockey: Tommy Berry
On the feeling of winning the Derby: “Oh Jesus, one of my best thrills in racing was winning the Hong Kong Derby on Designs on Rome but to do it on my home land in Australia, God it’s brilliant.
On pre-race confidence: “I was confident because how often do you see Trent Busuttin come over with a horse and when he does, he’s confident, they run well, knew he would stay all day so I took a bit of a shortcut home on the corner but he was very strong on the line. Can’t thank Trent enough for giving me the ride. He’s a champion bloke and glad I could win for the kiwis. They’ve got enough.”
On the speed being soft: “That horse has been missing the kick so we concentrated on waking him up a little bit behind the barriers to get him up there on the speed. He spotted them 25 ”
lengths the other day and flew home to run sixth. A lot of people probably overlooked his run.”
RACE 6
Group 1 - Inglis ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes
(2YO SW - 1400m)
Race Result:
1st: Yankee Rose - $3.80F
2nd: Telperion - $4.00
3rd: Faraway Town - $51.00
Winning Time: 1.24.38 Last 600m: 36.12
Margins: 2.5L x 2L
Winning Trainer: David Vandyke
On his feelings when Yankee Rose hit the front: “Normally I’d think she was just going to gap them but being a Group 1 I was just numb.”
On the filly’s ability: “When I walk around with her and deal with her I think she’s just an average, small little filly but she’s just outstanding. She just showed champion qualities in the Golden Slipper and went on with it today. She’s just an amazing filly.”
On his first Group 1 win: “I’ve been trying to win that Group 1 for 29 years, I’ve had probably 30 runners, but to just win that race like that today I just can’t describe how I’m feeling at the moment. I’m still numb, I can’t believe I’ve actually won a Group 1 and to win one at Randwick, I started working here when I was a teenager and this track means so much to me.”
On his past tough times in life: “It’s through a power greater than myself that I’ve gotten here today. I feel that power all the time and I turn to it often. The love and support I’ve had from the racing industry in general has been amazing. I don’t feel like I’ve deserved what I’ve received off people but it’s been a real blessing.”
Winning Jockey: Zac Purton
On the Slipper effort: “Unfortunately you can’t break the rules but I just felt as if I had of been able to get into her a bit earlier with the whip she would have responded and would have made it interesting.”
“She’s atoned today and done a great job. It’s great for David. The story is more about her win and the owners than it is for me. He was a brave man to run her first up in the Slipper and he’s presented her again today in great fashion.
On the run: “I was able to come into it when I needed to and she did the rest. It was a very good effort.”
On the owners: “It’s a great story isn’t it. There are so many owners in so many different areas and it just goes to show that if you want to have a share in a horse you know your chance, you never know what you are going to get. This is what racing is about. Hope there are a few more stories like this in the years to come.”
RACE 5
Group 3 - Dilmah Tea PJ Bell Stakes
(3YOF SW+P - 1200m)
Race Result:
1st: Tempt Me Not
2nd: Pearls
3rd: Egyptian Symbol
Winning Time: 1.11.07 Last 600m: 35.36
Margins: ½ hd x 2 Lengths
Winning Trainer: James Cummings
On the win: “This is the big stage, the third year of The Championships and we’re thrilled as a stable to get here on the big days and deliver.
“We put ourselves in a good position with the filly a month between runs and off a really slick trial at Warwick Farm in between. She loves that and just a few visits to the beach. She loves that.
“She nearly stole the Light Fingers and it was good to see her win this from an extreme wide alley and be too good late.”
On the filly: “It was great to get that stakes win for a filly out of an Encosta mare and I guarantee that this filly will throw a good colt one day.
On where to next: “We can have a think about it. We can either go to the JB Carr in a fortnight if we are confident that she can stretch out to 1400 but our gut feeling has always been that 1100 or 1200 just about sees her out, so we could freshen her up for the Denise’s Joy at Scone. There’s a few options there.
Winning Jockey: Glyn Schofield
On the filly: “I’ve been on her all the way through pretty much outside of suspensions and she’s been really honest without quite getting there.”
“Today she had a lot to do from the outside barrier but we were positive, we got across, didn’t spend much petrol to get there and coming into the straight she was travelling so sweetly for me and I had the pleasure and fortune of being able to sit and wait over the rise, I asked her to quicken up and she responded straight away.”
On when to go: “I think if you come off the bridle going into the rise, you have to ride them up there. If you are travelling enough to sit there you are going to be involved in the finish. That is the key but you have to have the horse to take you there as well.”
On her looks: “She has really grown up into a lovely nice race horse. She was a little bit toey when she first started her racing career and I’d suggest as she gets into her later years she will probably get a bit better as well.”
RACE 4
Country Championships Final
RACE 3
Group 2 - Schweppes Chairman’s Handicap
(3YO+ Qlty - 2600m)
Race Result:
1st: Libran -
2nd: Alegria -
3rd: Cafe Society -
Winning Time: 2:48:13 Last 600m: 37:39
Margins: 1/2 Neck X 1/2 Head
Winning Trainer: Chris Waller
On the Sydney Cup: “He will be fit enough he will be racing in seven days time and it’s a little bit different training stayers in Australia to other parts of the world, they will space their runs it seems we just need to get them so fit by racing and that was the reason I wanted to race him today.
“In a few of of his runs he has raced a bit keen over shorter distances so the key is to switch him off and have him fit enough and the best horse in a week's time so hopefully we are talking in a weeks time it doesn't always work.
On tempo of race: “He get’s a big drop in the weights for the Sydney Cup, I guess they took the speed out of the race so what happens is every horse sprints home, it’s almost like us jogging with Usain Bolt we can go at the same speed but the last 100m is when he sprints he get’s away from us.”
Winning Jockey: Brenton Avdulla
On Libran: “He’s my new favourite horse this bloke. I don’t get opportunities on Championship days like this usually. 12 months ago I was sitting in the jockey’s room 7 out of the 10 races. This year I’m very grateful Chris has given me the opportunity to ride such a talented stayer. Been with him from day dot and he progressively just gets better and better, he’s attitude is getting better and better and today he went like a dead set two miler. So hopefully he pulls up alright and Chris wants to run him next week because if he does he’d going to be a live hope.
On the weight drop to 52kg: “He had 50kg and he got a couple of kilos penalty from being so consistent his last couple so he’s a little marvel. He’s my little champion at the moment. Look it’s a pleasure to ride a winner on such a big day. A G2 winner and hopefully
RACE 2
Group 3 - Carbine Club Stakes
(3YO SW+P - 1600m)
David Hayes and Tom Dabernig trained 3-year-old gelding He's Our Rokkii wins the second at Randwick. Caught three wide for the duration of the trip jockey Dwayne Dunn kept He's Our Rokkii wide into the straight and ground out a victory defeating early leader Odyssey Moon.
'''Race Result:
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1st: He’s Our Rokki - $6.40
2nd: Odyssey Moon - $3.50
3rd: Queen Of Wands - $12.80
Winning Time: 1.37.81 Last 600m: 35.97
Margins: 1/2L X 3/4L
Winning Trainer: David Hayes
On the win: “Mark Pilkington bought him and he really thought he had the potential to be a Group horse and he’s proven it today. He didn’t get a lot of favours but Dunny got cover for the first half, but for the last half he did it tough and toughed it out in the straight, so we’re thrilled.”
On the future: “We expect to be in the Doncaster Mile this time next year and he will be a beautifully weighted horse, he missed all the three-year-old classics and he’s just the sort of horse you want to have going into next year.”
On his next run: “I really feel he would have been placed in the (Australian) Guineas in Melbourne if we ran him but we decided to go the softer route and we’ll go to the Frank Packer Plate over 2000m. We’re treating him with a real four-year-old view.”
Winning Jockey: Dwayne Dunn
On the Horse: “The horse got himself a bit wound up coming here today. He’s not usually like that.”
In the Run: “He jumped out and smashed left from the gate. It was just getting that running rail to his left. He never really turned the corners that well. I had nice cover until we got to the half mile then got left out exposed.
For the Future: “He’s a really nice horse. David and I had had a little plan just to keep flying him under the radar. He’s going to get there to the top level. Just trying to give him a bit of confidence on the way through.”
RACE 1
Group 3 - Widden Kindergarten Stakes
(2YO SW - 1100m)
The Championships are off to an exciting start, with a Dead heat in the Kindergarten Stakes between Astern and El Divino. Both horses were caught wide during the running, yet were able to fight the finish right to the line with the racing judge unable to split them.
Dead Heat - 1st
1st: Astern
1st: El Divino
3rd: Geneteau
Winning Time: 1:04.91 Last 600m: 35.25
Winning Trainers: Gai Waterhouse (El Divino)
On the horse: “Winx we’ll see run and probably win the Doncaster and here’s El Divino running now. He’s a really, really special colt.
“This is a Group 1 horse. A really really exciting colt. It’s just his second start and he’s already won a black type race. The horse he fought the finish out with was a short-priced favourite and he just kept going to the line.”
John O’Shea (Astern)
On the win: “We’re very happy to have a horse good enough to keep up with Mrs Waterhouse. It was a really good performance from our colt. He had no luck today posted four wide from the wide gate but he showed a lot of tenacity on the line. We’re very proud of him.
On pushing on from the Slipper: “It’s a long wait to the Run To The Rose, we didn’t want him standing out in a paddock for too long so he ran here. He came through the Slipper in good order and we are very happy with him.”
Winning Jockeys: James McDonald (Astern)
“It’s no fun dead-heating, he went really well though.”
Blake Shinn (El Divino)
On the finish: “Thrilling finish. Two high class two year-olds going places. It’s set up for a great day.”
His thoughts when he hit the line: “It was very tight, it could have gone either way. Dead heat I’ll take any day.”
On the track: “It’s got give in it but it felt good under foot.”