Read the comments from the trainers and each of the jockeys about their rides in the 2025 Champions Sprint raced at Flemington on Saturday 8th November.
Winning Trainer: Clayton Douglas (Giga Kick)
Hard fought: “Happy days. He’s a champ this horse and I love him. It’s actually my first Melbourne Group 1 which is really special as well. It was a great ride and what a ding-dong battle it was.”
What win means: “He’s done so much for my career and he’s taken me everywhere with Group 1 wins in Sydney and Queensland. It’s his third go at this race. He hasn’t had a lot of luck in other years and it worked out perfect today. I was a little concerned with how the weather was, but I thought he would get through the conditions, and he prevailed.”
Never lets you down: “He just fronts up, he’s an older horse. He missed 12 months with an injury. He’s done a tremendous job to get back to Group 1 level and I will be forever grateful for him.
“To win two from two starts this preparation, we aimed him for this race and we got it done. Obviously there was a case for an Everest again but I really wanted to plan out that we could get this race under the belt and it has come off.
“Champions do what champions do and he’s just a good horse. He was a young three-year-old running in the TJ Smith with I Wish I Win (on a wet track) and he seemed to handle it.
“He is such a good horse and can travel so far into a race
“I thought we were going to run a good second, to be honest. I thought Magic Time would beat us from there. She was terrific and Grahame has done a top job getting her back from The Everest.”
Celebrations tonight: “Couple of beers tonight and try and warm up a bit.”
Winning Jockey: Mark Zahra
Third Group 1 win: “It’s so good to see him back. It was pretty tight up the straight. We were all hugged up on the outside there and it looked like Magic Time was going to hold me, but his last 50 (metres), he had a proper crack the old boy and got his head out at the right time.
“I wanted to be on the back of Joliestar but J-Mac pushed me out of the way so I had to get Jedibeel out of the way and the gap came and I was able to squeeze through there.
“Great win, great thrill.”
What occurred with Tentyris in the barrier: “He drew next to me so I saw him rear up and get his leg over so you have to put that out of your mind. I thought he’d be behind me in the run so I didn’t think too much more of it but he had the one leg bent over and I didn’t want to see him get hurt so I was trying to get his head back the right way so it didn’t hurt his leg. He’s got a valuable stud career ahead of him.
“I just rode my own race.”
Last ride for the carnival: “It’s been a massive week and hopefully there’s a nice bottle of champagne there for me now”
Beaten Jockeys:
Ethan Brown (Jedibeel): “Didn’t handle the heavy track.”
Jason Collett (Caballus): “I don’t think he liked the ground. Travelled really good into it and when I asked him to let go he struggled.”
Tom Marquand (Libertad): “Ran huge. Travelled in good, thought he was going to give them a real bold run and the front two kicked on. He ran great.”
Damian Lane (Tropicus): “Wasn’t quite as well-suited down the straight, he just got beaten for a turn of foot as such, but he stuck on well.”
James McDonald (Joliestar): “She did a really good job.”
Michael Dee (Magic Time): “She obviously absolutely loves a wet track and I thought we had it the whole way up the straight. The race was ours until the last 50 metres. Happy that she was able to run extremely well, but still disappointing at the same time.”
Jamie Melham (Benedetta): “She went fantastic. Gave me a very good feel at the 300, I thought we were going to be right in the finish, but just a fraction too wet for her today.”
Jordan Childs (Flying For Fun): “She ran as well as she could up against some classy opposition.”