Group One Caulfield Cup jockey comments
What the jockeys said after the Group One $3 million Caulfield Cup:
Nick Hall (Jameka) 1st : “I’ve got to really thank Ciaron Maher and the stable. He’s done an exceptional job … he’s such a great trainer of campaign horses. The way he’s prepped this run by run, and he’s won it.”
Kerrin McEvoy (Scottish) 2nd : “He sort of jumped up in the air which had me on the backfoot, then he raced really keenly through the first couple of furlongs. I got into a nice rhythm outside the front two then slipped forward. He’s done a remarkable job to hold on and run as well as he did.”
Damien Oliver (Exospheric) 3rd : “I was able to get into a nice moving position coming to the turn, I was only a couple of lengths off Jameka and thought I was a real chance. But when she kicked with the pull in the weights, she just kicked too strong but I thought it was an excellent run.”
Michael Walker (Almoonqith) 4th : “Probably should have run second. Got held up at a crucial point of the race but other than the winner, it’s probably a Melbourne Cup trial.”
Craig Williams (Real Love) 5th : “She jumped really well today and I was stuck wide so I had to go forward. I got cover from the wind when I needed to but being that bit closer, it probably cost her acceleration when they got around the turn, but she ran on really nice.”
Dwayne Dunn (Our Ivanhowe) 6th : “He ran well. I didn’t begin that well and we got pushed back along the rail but he went like a two-miler, and if we get a wet track, we’re back in business.”
Colm O’Donoghue (Sir Isaac Newton) 7th : “He ran a good race. He’s used to a strong tempo. He just needs to learn to relax and control that speed but he’s run a good race considering he pulled so hard.”
Patrick Moloney (Vengeur Masque) 8th : “It was a terrific run. I had to sort of snag him from the gate but got across and he travelled really well for me in the run but I just got held up at a crucial stage on the back of our Ivanhowe. If he gets out earlier, he probably runs top five … he’s a nice stayer of the future.”
Ben Thompson (De Little Engine) 9th : “He was brilliant. He really ran up to his Turnbull (Stakes) start. Once he got clear air, I had a really good run from the 400 and his last furlong was super. He’s on track for a race like the Lexus (Stakes) and he’s ticking along beautifully.”
Blake Spriggs (Sir John Hawkwood) 10th : “I’m extremely proud of him, he did a good job. I was following the right horses. I got a bit of a squeeze on the first turn which just got him over-racing a little bit but I was very proud.”
Hugh Bowman (Preferment) 11th : “Had to do a bit too much work in the run.”
Brenton Avdulla (Tally) 12th : “Probably just over-did it early. I was able to get across and get a good spot but probably didn’t have the horse underneath me.”
Zac Purton(Articus) 13th : “He worked himself up in front of the big crowd pre-race and he was just a bit keen.”
Ben Allen (Pemberley) 14th : “We were a bit further back than we wanted to be, we wanted to be midfield but he just jumped away too slow.”
Tommy Berry (Sacred Master) 15th : “Copped a lot of trouble past the winning post the first time, it got him pulling a little bit and they went too slow for us.”
Katelyn Mallyon (Go Dreaming) 16th :”He went really well. The race didn’t really suit him.”