Find out what the jockeys said about their mounts after the running of the G1 Victoria Derby at Flemington.
Winning Jockey (Hitotsu): John Allen
“We got into a nice position coming out of the straight but the tempo just came back out of the race. There was a three-wide line which I was trying to get to cause all the fancied ones seem to be out there but they came around me and kept me in so I just had to ride for good luck around the corner. He was travelling that well, I just needed a gap, but once he got out the rest is history.”
“He is a pretty talented horse. I have no doubt he is good enough to win a Group One over a mile”
“Well done to the owners they put the money in and they deserve what they get back”
Beaten jockeys:
Daniel Moor – Forgot You: “He bounced a lot better today which I thought was great given that I thought there was no speed which did eventuate. He was keen around the first bend but then switched off lovely. I was glad a couple took off, went around and put a bit of speed into the race. I was able to come out just at the right time before he hit that flat spot of his. He just didn’t build through that flat spot today. He was a little bit plain to the line. He still tried through the line, but tried the whole way through. Got skilled halfway up the straight but he was a beaten horse by then. He’s done a great job this prep and he’ll be better again next time.”
James McDonald – Tutkaka: “Good sound effort.”
Brett Prebble – Alegron: “Everything that could go wrong went wrong for him but he was tough and courageous.”
Jye McNeil – Gunstock: “Got galloped on at the 700 and that was the end of his race.”
Rachel King – Akihiro: “Just pulled too hard to give himself a chance to run the trip.”
Fred Kersley – Character: “He acquitted himself well. Geelong may have taken a bit more out of him than we thought.”
Luke Currie – Jungle Magnate: “Keen early and will be better next prep.”
Linda Meech – Commander Harry: “I think he thinks he’s a ping pong ball now. It was a pretty messy run race and just never got in a nice rhythm.”
Damien Thornton – Cerberus: “Pulled too hard.”
Craig Williams – Gundec: “Symon Wilde has done a good job. He got him to perform much better but unfortunately he’s not seasoned enough at this time of year to be competitive with those types of horses at this distance.”
Dean Yendall – Clyde: “He gave me an awful ride and hung the whole way.”
Jamie Mott – El Rocko: “Way too keen.”
Michael Dee – Raging Bull: “Very, very good run. He’s a lovely horse to ride, relaxes and I thought we were going to run a place, but were unlucky.”
Blaike McDougall – Cheerful Moment: “He didn’t want to go a gallop early. I had an economical run, following the favourite three deep but I think he’s come to the end of it.”
Declan Bates – Teewaters: “Ran super. Stayed the trip really well. Didn’t have the turn-of-foot that the winner had but he was strong to the line. Really good.”
