I Am Excited wins Group 1 Galaxy thriller
Trainer David Pfieffer has landed his first Group One win after I Am Excited claimed the Galaxy.
I Am Excited has delivered David Pfieffer his first Group One win in a thrilling finish to The Galaxy at Rosehill.
But the Warwick Farm trainer admitted there was also a strange feeling to the biggest victory of his career, with no crowds or owners allowed on course for Saturday’s Golden Slipper meeting because of the restrictions on mass gatherings because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s a strange feeling, it feels like we’re at the barrier trials to tell the truth,” Pfieffer said.
“It’s hard to go over the top about it but it will sink in, I suppose, sooner or later.”
That’s not to say Pfieffer was not thrilled to get the monkey off his back with a Group One success after 12 years of training.
I Am Excited, with Tim Clark aboard, came from midfield and drove through nearest to the inside in the straight, getting home in a three-way finish to beat leader Miss Leonidas by a half-head.
Tofane made her charge between that pair to finish another head away third.
Stewards reprimanded Miss Leonidas’ jockey Billy Egan for failing to ride the mare out right to the post but ruled it would not have affected the result.
“It was a great win, I didn’t know whether to go the early crow or not because it was quite tight at the finish,” Pfieffer said.
“I was confident that the horse was going probably the best of her career. I suppose coming up the inside was probably not the right part of the track but she toughed it right out.
“It’s my first Group One and hopefully it’s not my last.
“I’ve been training 12 years so it’s been a while coming. I’ve had runners in Group Ones and run placings and so forth, but getting that first win is very special.”
While it was Pfieffer’s maiden Group One, Clark notched the 15th of his career in the same race in which he claimed his first 12 years ago on Typhoon Zed and another on Atomic Force three years later.
“The Galaxy was my first Group One and this is my third now so it has been a good race to me,” Clark said.
“I’m very privileged to be able to take it out again.”