3 minute read
Trainer and jockey quotes after the Group 1 Australian Oaks at Randwick on Saturday won by Hungry Heart.
Race Result:
1st: Hungry Heart (Kerrin McEvoy/Chris Waller) - $5
2nd: Duais (Hugh Bowman/Edward Cummings) - $16
3rd: Bargain (NZ) (James McDonald/Mark Newmham) - $10
Winning Time: 2:33.58 Last 600m: 35.01
Margins: 1¼L x Short Neck
Hungry Heart too good for them in the Australian Oaks! The daughter of Frankel makes it a Vinery - Oaks double! Peach of a ride from @KPMcEvoy for @cwallerracing. pic.twitter.com/cO4dCyGrUP
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 17, 2021
Winning Trainer: Chris Waller
On the win: "Yeah, very special. As we said after her first Group 1 win a few weeks back the international stage is what racing's all about. People are recognising Australian racing for all the right reasons during Covid and when you've got a Frankel filly winning the Australian Oaks I think it's pretty special."
"She backed up that good run two weeks ago and it's a good advertisement for our system. We had her running in the Golden Slipper and now she's running at the extreme distance (2400m) for a three-year-old filly, so thanks to my team and obviously a great ride by Kerrin McEvoy."
On her evolution: "To start with she's good and she's just matured with age. As a two-year-old she used to get on her toes and be a bit bubbly as you'd expect a young filly to be. As a three-year-old now, only 12 months later she's really matured into a relaxed beautiful horse to work with."
On his success on this day in the past: "There's been a couple of good horses that have helped and Hungry Heart may well be one of them. I can clearly remember Winx's last day, I think Who Shot Thebarman won the Sydney Cup and Verry Elleegant won the Oaks, so good horses help."
On the build up to the Queen Elizabeth: "It's been good the talk up of the carnival over the last few weeks. Obviously through dealing with good horses, in particularly one (Winx), it's made me understand my responsibility towards racing. These are the stars these colts and fillies that are doing it for us day and day out, giving everybody something to celebrate. To go home safe, and for us to talk them up and say how good they are is what it's all about."
Winning Jockey: Kerrin McEvoy
On the run: "I jumped well and got into a spot not far from the front. I was happy with the rhythm that she got into. It was a different sort of race to last time, out at Rosehill, and Josh rated his horse quite canilly in front.
On her position in running: "I wasn't (worried) as I was in a position to move into it when I wanted to and that is what I did. She was full of running from the 600m onwards. "
On no pace in the race: "When I did make my own inroads into the race at the top of the lane I thought they were going to be good to beat me and she duly went on to win the race. Credit to Chris Waller and his team. She is a sweet little filly whose gone from strength to strength this time in. "
Beaten Jockeys:
Jason Collett (Montefilia): "Settled better today but she was outsprinted getting into the straight."
Opie Bosson (Amarelinha): "She enjoyed a good run. Just came to the end of it this prep."
Josh Parr (Harmony Rose): "Believe or not she didn't run the trip."
Damien Oliver (Impecunious): "Just didn't stay the trip."
Hugh Bowman (Duais): "Superb effort."
James McDonald (Bargain): "Honest run. Stayed on well."
Alysha Collett (Land Ahoy): "Would have been better if showing more barrier speed but all in all she's run a nice enough race."
Brenton Avdulla (Signora Nera): "She handled herself really well ending up in a great spot. Just lacked the class but if she presses on to the Queensland Oaks I'm sure she will be right in the finish."
Craig Williams (Sassysav): "They are really good 3yo fillies in the Oaks and my horse's strength is that she just keeps galloping, an out and out staying type. Unfortunately we couldn't utilise a good barrier draw and maintain solid gallop which would be to her liking."
