3 minute read
Trainer and jockey quotes after Written Miss wins the John Duff & Co 3YO Benchmark 70 Handicap at Pakenham on Saturday.
Race Result:
1st: Written Miss (J Benbow/C Jennings) - $2F
2nd: Veranskova (M Walker/C Alderson) - $5
3rd: Miss Divine Em (C Rawiller/P Payne) - $7.50
Winning Time: 57.43 Last 600m: N/A
Margins: 1½L x 2½L
Written Miss blazes the turf to win comprehensively on her home track.
— Racing.com (@Racing) December 5, 2020
Caroline Jennings has a smart filly on her hands. @PakenhamRacing pic.twitter.com/72Ykb27C4R
Winning Trainer: Caroline Jennings
It's been a big week: "It's been an incredible time. Congratulations and a huge thanks to my owner James Kenendy. It's been a great week, totally surreal and to be totally honest with you utterly nerveracking.
"There was a lot of hype around Written Miss and rightly so but you just don't know what's going to happen until they've crossed the line. Massive congratulations to James and all the team. She's an absolute credit to everyone."
Jason Benbow familiar with the horse: "He does know her. He rides work on her and he's cool and calm. Chatting to him before the race, I'm a bag of nerves and he's just saying 'we're just going to go out and have fun'. They're getting along very well.
"She has her quirks as a mare. So there's stuff to watch with that so definitely they're a good pairing.
"Every moment I watch. Everything she does during the race tells me what I'm going to do in the next couple of days or the next week or so before her next run. I have a keen eye on them.
Local trainer winning on Cup Day: "We've had a couple of wins now here at home and I think there's an advantage to being at your home track. She knows where her stable is - just past the finishing line - so it is fantastic to be here and celebrating with the team but everybody involved here at Pakenham."
Winning Jockey: Jason Benbow
"She's showing a lot of potential. She's just very exciting and very grateful personally to be given the opportunity. Obviously my personal battles have been well documented so a big thanks to Kennedy Racing, the whole team there to have the confidence to give me the opportunity on a filly like this."
On the run: "She felt like she was in second gear when she went to the lead so I think there might be a bit of upside there as well which is very exciting."
How his own body is: "I'm the fittest I've ever been. The old boss has got me working very hard here Pakenham and really enjoying another opportunity to do what I love and it's fantastic when you get on a horse like Written Miss. It makes that 15 months staring at the wall on the couch with the family, not knowing if you're ever going to get back on a horse, it makes it all worthwhile. Very thankful.
Means so much: "It's obviously why you do it. It's a small stepping stone so hopefully we're only bigger and better things."
Other Trainers : Cindy Alderson on second-placed Veranovska
"She ran really well today. Obviously a lack of experience but Michael gave her a really nice ride and I was pretty happy. With the way she hit the line."
Overheard Cindy say that she was waiting for the filly to be a 'mongrel': "Only because her mother threw some pretty strong temperamental types. Written Tycoon has been known to throw them, too, and being a redheaded chestnut filly, but she behaves more like a hereford cow. Let's hope she stays that way."
Homebred: "We bred her. She's a halfsister to Miss Vixen. I trained the mother as well for Wayne Chitty. We inherited this service fee through Marcus Price who's mare unfortunately passed away in foal and that was then Written Tycoon fees were about $100,000 service fee so we got into her pretty reasonably. Happy with the result. I think she paid herself back today."
