3 minute read
Trainer and jockey quotes following the Bondi Stakes at Randwick on Saturday won by Hilal.
Race Result:
1st: Hilal (T Berry/M, W & J Hawkes) - $2.35
2nd: Keefy (J Ford/B Widdup) - $21
3rd: Lease (T Clark/A Cummings) - $61
Winning Time: 1:35.02 Last 600m: 35.13
Margins: 1¼L x Short ½ Head
Hilal continues on his winning ways in the Bondi Stakes! @TommyBerry21 @HawkesRacing @aus_turf_club pic.twitter.com/r4rmprsovg
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 23, 2021
Winning Trainer: Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes (Michael comments)
On Hilal's love of Randwick: "He does, he just thrives here. Last start he really put the writing on the wall but even if you go back to his two-year-old days when he ran second in the Group One, we knew we had a special colt then going into that race. That day, he probably just got a bit too far back and the winner eventually came up the fence."
On the horse: "This preparation, he has really started to hit the line and put it all together. Last start, and obviously today, he still wants to lay in but once he gets clear of those horses he just really fights and he wants to hit the wire."
Better next prep?: "I think so. He's just been a work in progress really. We love making colts and Emirates have been good supporters of ours. We just love doing it."
Winning Jockey: Tommy Berry
On the win: "He actually switched off quite well in the early part but the pace really came out of it. There was a bit of a shuffle up and I ended up out three wide but then Jase was four wide so we pressed forward and he gave me a really nice cart into the race."
On the horse: "He put them away again today but I've got a feeling he'll be better next preparation, he's still learning what it's all about.
"It was hard for him to get confidence last prep because he kept getting beat but now that he's put a couple together he might come in a lot more furnished horse."
On his affinity with Randwick: "There's a lot of good mile races at Randwick in the coming couple of seasons for him so if he can keep going in the same direction he might be able to level up against some of the better ones."
Beaten Jockeys:
Kerrin McEvoy (Coastwatch): "Not a bad run. It was a steadily run race, he over-raced a little bit throughout. Stuck on OK."
Jason Collett (Royalzel): "Copped a check early. Never got a chance after that, wide."
Sam Clipperton (Cotehele): "Sound effort."
Jean Van Overmeire (Arnaqueur): "Good run. Just no luck."
Josh Parr (Dufresne): "He didn't run a strong 1600m."
Jay Ford (Keefy): "Super run. Travelled nicely, gave a nice kick, winner was a shade strong for us."
Tim Clark (Lease): "He ran really well. Had a nice run and found the line well."
Alysha Collett (Reginald): "In a lesser grade the horse will have a really good chance."
