3 minute read

Trainer and jockey quotes following Heresy winning the Group 3 P J Bell Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.

Race Result:

1st: Heresy (J Cummings/N Rawiller) - $5.50F
2nd: Zapateo (J Cummings/T Clark) - $6.50
3rd: Arcaded (J Cummings/D Lane) - $26

Winning Time: 1:13.14 Last 600m: 35.60

Margins: Long Neck x ¾L

Winning Trainer: James Cummings

On dropping back in grade from G1 and G2 level: "She had been going so well this preparation. She was 100-1 in the Light Fingers and 100-1 in the Surround and we felt like she could've finished closer, she didn't have the best of luck. That really vindicated the training that she had been putting in. We elected to take the small fish (a Group 3) because they do make sweet eating and it turned out she had four stablemates that were well suited in the race as well. But she trained beautifully between then and now and Nash (Rawiller) got to feel the benefits of that."

On pitting the five stablemates against each other: "We don't normally like doing this. They could all go their separate ways, there's the filly that could go to the paddock who we weren't sure would handle the track, the heavy conditions, and that was Hellfest (14th). One can go to Scone, one can go to Adelaide, one could go to Brisbane, one could run in two weeks in the JB Carr, so it gives us a lot of options."

On getting the first four: "It's nice for the stable to get the first four and it's my first trifecta. It was looking pretty likely at the 250m so it's very difficult to cheer three horses at once."

Winning Jockey: Nash Rawiller

On the frustrating day: "All my horses have run really well but yeah just couldn't get their heads in front."

On the run: "She's done a terrific job, she's been really racing well. That sort of win will give her a lot of confidence today too, she's heading in the right direction. I got plenty of cover and come to the outside, there was a bit of a bump from the inside and put us off our game for three strides. But she balanced up well and Tim's (Clark - rider of the second horse Zapateo) horse really kept kicking, but she pulled out plenty when she needed.

On Eduardo's run in the TJ Smith: "Really happy with him. I made a call at the 650m just let him (Nature Strip) go and I still haven't decided whether it was the right one or not as of yet. He doesn't know how to run a bad race and never lets you down. He ran his heart out. When Nature Strip is in that zone he's very hard to beat.

Beaten Jockeys:

Damian Lane (Arcaded): "Good run. I was confident I was going to win and she coped a bump and lost a bit of momentum."

Jamie Kah (Sneaky Five): "Just didn't handle the ground at all."

Hugh Bowman (Mallory): "I made a mess of that."

Chad Schofield (Hellfest): "Travelled well but when I let her head go in the straight she didn't enjoy the ground."

Luke Nolen (Gimmie Par): "Probably pulls up with an issue. Got beaten out of sight."

James McDonald (Me Me Lagarde): "She will be a much better horse on better ground. She followed the winner and just couldn't go with her."

Craig Williams (Robodira): "Wasn't effective on today's heavy track."

Tom Sherry (A Very Fine Red): "I was a touch disappointed. No real excuse but I thought blinkers might help."

William Pike (Smirnova): "I went a bit too hard in front."

Tim Clark (Zapateo): "Very brave performance."

Rachel King (Larkspur Run): "Really good effort. I think she is back on the right path."

Regan Bayliss (Party For One): "Super run from her. 1400m next start will be right up her alley."

Brenton Avdulla (Comrade Rosa): "She ran great. Gives me the feeling of a quality filly once she gets to 1400m."

Jay Ford (Dalchini): "Was really good. Closed off well late."