3 minute read
Trainer and jockey quotes after Falls wins the MRC Membership Renewal Handicap at Caulfield on Saturday.
Race Result:
1st: Falls (M Kent/A Kelly) - $11
2nd: Tooradin (Maher & Eustace/B Melham) - $4.40F
3rd: Influential Girl (R Griffiths & M De Kock/L Neindorf) - $61
Winning Time: 2:03.51 Last 600m: N/A
Margins: Neck x ¾L
"Falls is brave, Falls has won it."
— Racing.com (@Racing) July 10, 2021
Incredibly tough win from the Mick Kent-trained galloper. pic.twitter.com/IBPHmahi70
Winning Trainer: Mick Kent
"It's a trip I always wanted to get him to but he's always gone a bit keen. Credit Damian Lane, he's been riding him and trying to get him to switch off. He thought when he rode him last start that he switched off too much.
"It was always the plan to come here and claim. I just didn't have the second horse pushing him hard so early. I was looking at the clock and mid-stages they were running 12.6's so I thought he'll be right then.
"Going up the hill, I said to Alana to stay wide and you won't get time to come across. They'll all expect you to lead but I just didn't have the other horse putting the pressure on early. You've just got to keep him rolling. You go too slow and they're going to catch you.
"He keeps going. We've seen that before. If you hold him up he gets caught when they sprint.
"She (Alana) did a good job. I really like this girl. I think she's going places.
"He's thriving. Couldn't have come to the races better. I couldn't believe how well he worked during the week. We'll probably give him another one or two (runs). We had him positioned as a Cranbourne Cup horse but they brought it back to a mile.
"We would like to think that he'll make a country cups horse in time."
On Alana Kelly: "I think she's the best of the 'threes' (3kg claim). I think she has been for a while and she was riding a bit of work for me at Cranbourne before she got her licence. She always had a nice style about her, got a good head on her, and she followed those instructions.
"I said that I didn't want her on the fence. I saw it was getting a bit cut up and she rode it to a tee. I think she's going places."
Winning Jockey: Alana Kelly
"With the speed coming out I thought we'd get there quite easily. I just let him come across neutral. I was going to take a sit outside of Kings Full but he wanted to go half a stride slower and Mick wanted mine out and breathing.
"Just let him have his head and stride along. Just got to have that going down the back straight and work into it.
"He's a big striding horse and plods along quite slowly but he got to the line quite well today."
The mood in the jockeys room today: "She is very inspirational. She's keeping us motivated and its very good having a girl in the room doing so well. They're (female jockeys) up and about."
