Read what each of the jockeys had to say about the runs of their mounts in the 2021 All Star Mile on Saturday.
Winning Jockey: Hugh Bowman (Mugatoo):
Take us through your emotions:“That is just so exciting. It is amazing the emotion involved with this sport. After rides in race two and five the track is not idea for Mugatoo to run a mile against this opposition, but then the rain that was forecast he came into contention.
“I did not expect to ride him like that. I was hoping to be three deep, getting a trail up.
“I stayed to the rail, gave him the shortest way home. He got into a really good rhythm, but it was not as frantic as I expected it to be with the rain coming.
“Kris Lees has eyed this race off for a long time. He gave him one run in Sydney to prep for it. We all know his best distance is a bit further, but he’s come here in the right order and delivered on the big day.”
Ollie knew how Mugatoo was travelling: “Damien Oliver is someone I have looked up to from a very young age. I have had the privilege to ride against him for a very long time now.
“We’ve both reached the heights of the sport. I could sense him waiting for me to run into trouble, but then all of a sudden a gap appeared in front of me.
“I said to to Cameron Swan (Lees’ foreman) that sometimes the best options are when you don’t have any and Damien really did have control of my fate.
“As things would have it, I got room in front of me and I think the best horse won on the day.
“Full credit to the Australian Bloodstock team. They’re fantastic at identifying these European horses, bringing them here and racing successfully.
I’ve had a long association with them and to deliver the All-Star Mile means a great deal.”
Beaten jockeys:
William Pike (Sir Dragonet): “Overraced so I wasn’t able to settle him.”
Craig Williams (Behemoth): “I’m so proud of him. It was a gallant performance today. David Jolly and all his team have done a fantastic job with him. He did want to lug out around the turn which is unusual for him, but that might have been because he was not that confident in that type of ground. But still his performance was excellent.”
Zac Spain (Streets Of Avalon): “Jumped slow, caught wide but he was super.”
Jamie Kah (Mr Quickie): “He hated the heavy track.”
Mark Zahra (Star Of The Seas): “I rode him to suit the bias of the track and he ran well.”
Brad Stewart (The Harrovian): “He tried hard. I was happy with his run, he ran good. He always runs a good race and he had his chance, but it was too wet.”
Luke Nolen (Regalo Di Gaetano): “A brave run. The track conspired against us and was too wet for his liking.”
Damien Oliver (Russian Camelot): “Super run. Had a great run through but just found a better wet-tracker on the day.
Damian Lane (Probabeel): “Didn’t handle the track.”
Michael Walker (Shout The Bar): “Didn’t handle the track.”
Jye McNeil (Greysful Glamour): “Just didn’t handle today’s conditions.”
Brendan McCoull (Still A Star): “I don’t know if she handled the class, but she certainly didn’t handle the track. She travelled well, but as soon as the pressure came on, she struggled.”
Noel Callow (Lunar Fox): “Yep, good horse.”
John Allen (Fifty Stars): “Just raced a bit flat but he was good and brave.”
