3 minute read
Trainer and jockey quotes following the Group 1 Australian Cup won by Homesman at Flemington on Saturday.
Race Result:
1st: Homesman (J McNeil/A & S Freedman) - $26
2nd: Best Of Days (L Nolen/J Cummings) - $26
3rd: Chapada (D Stackhouse/M Moroney) - $41
Winning Time: 2:01.47 Last 600m: 34.77
Margins: Nose x 1L
"Homesman with the music man cheering above."
— Racing.com (@Racing) March 6, 2021
It's a very special Australian Cup victory for the Williams family. @FlemingtonVRC @NCW717 pic.twitter.com/8qltQCd2Uv
Winning Trainer: Anthony & Sam Freedman (Anthony speaking)
"It's a big thrill. It's a huge team effort. There's a lot of people behind the horse and it's worth mentioning Michael Gudinski, obviously passing away during the week. He was very close to the family.
"Dad had some very fond memories with him back in the nineties and early 2000s. He (the horse) certainly had some help out there."
On the run: "We had a chat with Lloyd (Williams) during the week and he had the idea to ride the horse out wide and ride him like a european horse which is ultimately what he is. Particularly having a bit of room to move and one thing he's got is that tenacity and that will to win. He's now a two-time Group 1 winner. Couldn't quite get a slot in the All-Star Mile but this is maybe a little bit better.
"We knew he'd be a touch stronger than the second horse for the last little bit. He's proven at this distance. On the line I thought the other horse got the bob in. A pleasant surprise."
Winning Jockey: Jye McNeil
Having a crowd to cheer him back this time: "It's great to see things get back to normal. I'd like to thank all the connections. Lloyd and all the family for the opportunity today. It's a very special win because we all lost Michael during the week. Condolences to his friends and family and he was definitely riding with me out there today."
Some happiness for the family: "As happy as you can be at a time like this."
"It was a great tough performance by the horse, well prepared, great tactics by mainly Lloyd to come up with this. There was a plan of attack today and it all came off. On the line I thought he was giving me everything he had. I felt he was starting to peak on his run and start to lay in a touch ut he put it all on the track today and I'm super happy to get the win."
Nick WIlliams
"Most importantly his (Gudinski's) son is here leading the horse in. All I want to say is 'there's only one Michael Gudinski!'."
Beaten jockeys:
Damian Lane (Humidor): "Below par for him."
Michael Walker (Harlem): "Travelled good. The winner was three-deep outside me, the second horse was in front of me. He's just getting a bit old. He's been a good old horse."
John Allen (Fifty Stars): "We always hemmed away on the fence. Never got a lot of room and he's a horse that likes a lot of room. He still fought on honestly to the line."
Damien Oliver (Warning): "Went awful."
WIlliams Pike (Angel Of Truth): "Got hampered in the straight."
Luke Nolen (Best Of Days): "Brave effort again, backing up. Keeps running honest this bloke."
Jamie Kah (Steel Prince): "I didn't want to lead but got stuck there in the end."
Daniel Stackhouse (Chapada): "Super run. He ran fantastic I thought."
Brad Parnham (Platoon): "He struggled a bit today. Just not sure that he's a genuine weight-for-age horse."
Mark Zahra (Shared Ambition): "Slow away. A bit further back and probably looking for 2400m"
Billy Egan (Defibrillate): "Super run with those horses at level weights. I was very happy with him."
Dean Yendall (San Huberto): "I wanted to be more forward but because I drew down the inside and being an international horse he was real quick out of the barriers. He was quick enough but didn't have the solid speed like he did when I drew out wider at Caulfield so I could roll in a bit easier. Today, a bit more speed from in and out so just got into a stick spot and he travelled well and finished off nice."
Luke Currie (Nonconformist): "Covered more ground than the early settlers."
Daniel Moor (Miami Bound): "She was very good today."
Michael Dee (Miss Siska): "Disappointing."
Craig Williams (Paradee): "She did a great job. Really well managed. If she didn't lose her running, her rightful running, she runs third in a great WFA Group 1 race."
