3 minute read

Trainer and jockey quotes after Colette wins the $7.5million Golden Eagle at Rosehill.

Race Result:

1st: Colette (K Jennings/J Cummings) - $10
2nd: Icebath (T Sherry/B Widdup) - $6
3rd: Dawn Passage (T Clark/G Waterhouse & A Bott) - $21

Winning Time: 1:32.67 Last 600m: 36.69

Margins: Short Head x ¾L

Colette takes out the 2020 #GoldenEagle! What a result from @KobyJennings for @godolphin pic.twitter.com/PGZRsT7yIe

— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 31, 2020

Winning Trainer: James Cummings

On the win coming from last: "Nah it was easy. She is a super mare. What a wonderful performance from her to be kept fresh. We had a plan for this Spring carnival. We wanted to keep the speed in her legs. She freshened up beautifully since the Epsom. She got beaten two lengths in the Epsom. We spoke to the boys on Monday. Credit to them they gave me the green light to go ahead and run them over a distance. Anyone with a pencil in their hand can work out it was too short. She ended up finding a way on the heavy track. We got the solidly run race we hoped for."

On the ride: "I just said let the race unfold from the half mile like it was mile and a half race and she will eat up the ground late. He kept his head and she savaged the line. She looked like Hallowed Crown there in the last 100m."

On finding Koby Jennings: "I rang him during the week and I had to laugh. He was so relaxed I asked him was he fishing? He said no I'm not but as a matter of fact I'm watching a fishing show. I knew I had a pretty relaxed customer on this horse. A three of them suited our horses. In some ways it didn't work out for them. I'm sure Criaderas' day will come and Flit would have loved to have been a bit further back from the draw. We've managed to get this mare absolutely spot on for the day."

On the win for the stable: "I tell you something this farm has just the most amazing record. This crop of horses now have been reared to win the Golden Gift, the Golden Slipper, the Golden Rose and now the grand slam of the Golden Eagle. I mean it was just going to happen. You have got to remember it all starts somewhere. Guys like Johnny Sunderland, Barley, James at Northwood Park, Jason goes and checks these horses all the time. They don't come out of nowhere. We get some of the kudos but what amazing horses. The time honoured races we have won with them." 

Winning Jockey: Koby Jennings

On what the win means: "Thanks to James Cummings and all the Godolphin team. Putting me on a beautiful little mare like this. She is the hardest trying horse I've ever sat on. I'm lost for words. I'm glad to get the job done."

On the closeness of the result: "If you told me to look at the photo I couldn't do it. Everybody looked at me and said I think you've won. I don't really know how to put it all in."

On the win: "We discussed a couple of different scenarios. That was one of them. I let the horse outside me go to get clear air around me. Some horses weren't going to take me into the race as much as I wanted to. I let her do her own thing."

Beaten Jockeys:

Ryan Maloney (Alligator Blood): "In a nice spot. Travelled really well. As soon as I let his head go his wheels were spinning."

Regan Bayliss (Brandenburg): "We were three deep with cover. Cruised into it like the winner but Colette came off our back and was too good."

Josh Parr (Superstorm): "Terrific effort. Got out of my ground as he doesn't have any tactical speed. Another 100m he wins the race."

Tim Clark (Dawn Passage): "He ran so well. Very proud of his effort. Thought I was the winner at the 300m. Wasn't to be. He's put in a blinder."

Brenton Avdulla (Riodini): "He gave me a really good ride. Just struggled in the heavy."

Glyn Schofield (Windstorm): "Didn't handle the ground."

Robbie Dolan (Reloaded): "Not the best day to be missing the kick. Was too heavy. Couldn't make up ground."

Kathy O'Hara (Just Thinkin'): "Just found the track too wet for him today."

James Innes (Bottega): "I kept him a nice rhythm, happy to be three wide with cover. The horse ran as well as he could. If the track was a little bit better as it took that sprint out of him. He slowly picked up."

Keagan Latham (Criaderas): "There was a mishap at the barriers but a creditable run. Don't think he handled the ground. At 2000m he'll be a serious horse."

Rachel King (Flit): "A bad barrier."

Tommy Berry (Funstar): "Surprisingly she really struggled in the ground. We got across comfortably and had a nice easy time midrace. I was in trouble before the corner."

Jay Ford (Subpoenaed): "Soft draw actually worked against us. Didn't like being cluttered up in the field. Conditions too wet for her."

Jason Collett (Emeralds): "When that rain came it wasn't as effective as last start."

Nash Rawiller (Sierra Sue): "She just didn't handle the ground when I let her go. Came through like the winner. Got there a fraction soon but she didn't handle it."

Sam Clipperton (All Saints' Eve): "Super run. She is so lightly raced and to perform like that shows she will be a good horse in the making."

Tom Sherry (Icebath): "Massive effort again. On the quick backup. Just got held up half a stride at the top of the straight. She let down strong again."