Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2024 – What the jockeys said

Find out what the jockeys made of their mounts after the Group 1 $5,000,000 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick.

Declan Bates (Pride Of Jenni): That was all her today. Over the last six months, the times I’ve ridden her we had a nice rhythm with each other and when I’d ask her to come back she’d come back a bit.

“Today, when the horse on the outside came to her, she grabbed the bit and she didn’t drop it at any point.

“I was actually concerned that we were doing a bit too much. To be honest, until we hit that line I wasn’t happy at all today until it was done.

“I couldn’t tell you what the sectionals were. Generally once we’re doing it nice and smoothly, I’m aware. Today, just knew we were going quicker than I wanted to so it was a matter of coming back, coming back, and she said ‘nah I’m going’. She knows better.

“It is amazing. Tony Ottobre has changed my life putting me on these horses. Just to be a part of this, you know, it is something special. It really is.

“I knew when I got out today she had a spring in her step and I was concerned that she was getting to the end of her prep.

“You can usually hear them coming and I was tempted to have a look back but I kept my eyes on the post.”

James McDonald (Via Sistina): “Embarassing.”

Craig Williams (Mr Brightside): “I was so pleased with his performance. I love the way he felt and most importantly the way he recovered and came back after the race. Take nothing away from Pride Of Jenni. She is phenomenal. My horse turned the tables on Cascadian so it showed you that my horse was better than the Australian Cup.”

Ben Melham (Cascadian): “Dunno what to say really. The race was over after three furlongs. Second and third horses should have tacked up. It was always going to win with a scenario like that.”

Blake Shinn (Buckaroo): “He didn’t jump the best. Liked to have been forward. When he didn’t jump it put him out of the race. Winner dominated.”

Nash Rawiller (Kovalica): “He’s run a great race. I think I really love this horse. Just didn’t work out too well for us today.”

Josh Parr (Zeyrek): “He reached his top speed a long way from home and it’s not to his liking.”

Tommy Berry (Place Du Carrousel): “Just not the same horse today.”

Tom Marquand (Ceolwulf): “At halfway it was open what was happening. I was locked up on fence. I was happy with the complexion of the race. A tough run for him.”