3 minute read

Trainer and jockey quotes following the Listed Furphy Plate at Flemington taken out by Purple Sector.

Race Result:

1st: Purple Sector (C Williams/J Thompson) - $2.30 fav
2nd: Gold Fields (B Allen/L McGill) - $41
3rd: Odeon (J Kah/M Ellerton & S Zahra) - $9

Winning Time: 1:48.02 Last 600m: 35.07

Margins: Neck x Short Head

It wasn't an easy watch but @CWilliamsJockey got the best out of Purple Sector and put a double on the board on #MelbourneCup Day. pic.twitter.com/BwJ87K1ckw

— Racing.com (@Racing) November 3, 2020

Winning Trainer: John Thompson (via text message)

"Wasn't comfortable going that way for the first time but once he balanced up in the straight he went well."

Winning Jockey: Craig Williams

Areas of concern during the run: "There certainly was. He's been really well handled by John Thompson. These colours should have been in the race before (the Melbourne Cup). They're so famous through our Melbourne Cup history with Bart Cummings and Dato Tan Chin Nam and they still keep coming with these colours which is really good. He was really dominant last time in Sydney and my manager was really bullish about if they could bring this horse down you would love to be on him.

"I'd like to thank John Thompson and the owners, Duncan Ramage and everyone else for giving me the opportunity today.

"I want to congratulate Jye (McNeil) and all his team and his wife on winning our greatest race, the Melbourne Cup. He truly deserves it. He's a great competitor, he's a great young man and is the future of our racing."

Entering the straight having to work: "I was concerned. John Thompson's done a really good job with him.

"With this COVID-19 situation through Victoria, they've still made commitments and sent their staff down. Rebecca, who looks after the horse spent five days in quarantine in Melbourne and spent a lot of time and energy in sending horses down from Sydney. He was also in a half-a-million dollar race in Sydney on Saturday. I'm grateful that he brought him down. My manager said he wanted me on this horse after it's last start winand it's great that John Thompson and the owners have given me the opportunity.

"Last year when I won the Melbourne Cup on Vow And Declare, Lloyd Williams always said the jockey never wins the race after the Cup. I was so defiant I wanted to be the first and Vaughn Sommers always drives me mad, don't worry about that race, win the next one. Last year I ran second on Looks Like Elvis, so today I was able to do it.

"It was great to see Jye McNeil and his team and Joseph O'Brien and his team that have come all the way from Europe to win our greatest race, the race that stops the nation, is such a well targeted race and you can see the quality of horse that comes out here. To be lucky enough to get a ride in the race, with 24 horses that make it, is a privilege."