3 minute read
Trainer and jockey quotes following the Group 1 George Main Stakes won by Verry Elleegant at Randwick on Saturday.
Race Result:
1st: Verry Elleegant (J McDonald/C Waller) - $1.75
2nd: Riodini (R King/G Waterhouse & A Bott) - $13
3rd: Think It Over (N Rawiller/K Parker) - $4.80
Winning Time: 1:36.07 Last 600m: 35.60
Margins: ¾ L x ½ Head
Verry Elleegant reigns supreme in the George Main Stakes, you can’t beat class! @cwallerracing @mcacajamez @aus_turf_club pic.twitter.com/UDH5bioOTN
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 18, 2021
Winning Trainer: Chris Waller
On the mare: "She is a good horse simple as that. She is a difficult horse to train and the team as I've mentioned before today just do a wonderful job with her and all the other horses. I'm here getting the accolades for it on race day but it is an honour to train a horse like this. If she doesn't win G1s she runs second in them over all distances on all track conditions. That is a rare commodity."
On her development: "On her constitution, she wouldn't eat as well as we liked. It was a nightmare just trying to get her to each race. As we all do she has strengthened up as an older horse and mentally she is a lot better. So that tells us that she is enjoying her racing and it all comes hand in hand."
On the run: "You could see James was trying to be tactical and have her off the fence. That didn't work out that well. It caused her to over-race a little I thought the first time I watched it. From the half-mile onwards she was cruising and she had to dig deep the last 200m but that is when a horse like Verry Elleegant starts to excel. The tougher the contest the better she'll go."
On the next run: "Hopefully she will get to a Cox Plate. Yet to decide where her next run will be. Whether it will be in Sydney in two weeks in the Hill Stakes which is obviously on our radar or if not there then it could be the Turnbull before the Cox Plate and who knows after that."
Winning Jockey: James McDonald
On being slow out: "We are pretty well prepared with her now. Sometimes she jumps, sometimes she hasn't. She has been extremely slow in the past. She was pretty cranky today though. I was a little bit worried with her. Going around she was quite cantankerous and wanting to get on with it. Once I jumped a little bit slow, I didn't have many options to be fair and just let it unfold as it went."
When did you think she could win: "When I looked up at the 500m and Riodini had shot clear I thought Jesus it is going to take a mighty horse to run it down and both Think It Over and Verry Elleegant went together but she pulls out all stops this horse, she is just tough as nails."
Beaten Jockeys:
Tim Clark (Kolding): "He pulled up with a bit of an issue so I hopefully he's alright."
Nash Rawiller (Think It Over): "He went super. We didn't get any real favours in the run. To the horse's credit he travelled really well and it was a very good effort."
Hugh Bowman (Cascadian): "I thought it was an improved performance on his Chelmsford run. He's on track for the Epsom."
Sam Clipperton (Star Of The Seas): "He ran really well. Probably just peaked on his run late. He's right on target for the Epsom in two weeks."
Rachel King (Riodini): "Massive run. When he drops in weight next start in the Epsom he's going to be one of the fancied ones."
Regan Bayliss (Lion's Roar): "Definitely getting back on top of the ground where he can use that good action of his."
Kathy O'Hara (Shout The Bar): "A little bit disappointing. She moved into the race OK but was disappointing late."
Kerrin McEvoy (Hungry Heart): "It was a really pleasing run. Not sure that she loved the ground. But she kept finishing on the whole way up the running and showed she was in good order even though beaten a couple of lengths. She ran a great race."
