3 minute read

Trainer and jockey quotes following the Group 2 Autumn Classic won by Castlereagh Kid at Caulfield on Saturday.

Race Result:

1st: Castlereagh Kid (D Oliver/G Waterhouse & A Bott) - $4.20
2nd: Lucky Decision (B McDougall/P Moody) - $6
3rd: El Patroness (J Kah/D O'Brien) - $3.80F

Winning Time: 1:50.55    Last 600m: N/A

Margins: 1¼L x ½ Neck

"Oliver summed it up well."

A gutsy win from Castlereagh Kid & a perfect ride from Ollie who claims his fifth Autumn Classic win @GaiWaterhouse1 pic.twitter.com/vTBNmZQUmK

— Racing.com (@Racing) February 26, 2022

Winning Trainer: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott (Gai speaking)

"I was just talking to Singo and six months ago and if he didn't have his act together in the autumn we were seriously thinking whether we should sell him or not because he was a he was a bit of plodder, but he's gone from an ugly duckling to a beautiful swan.

"We put the blinkers on today because Caulfield is a tightish track especially with that home turn and I just thought he could utilise the front-running tactics to really be able to ping off that turn, which he did do."

Choosing Melbourne over Sydney with this horse: "It was. John's (Singleton) racing manager, Duncan Grimley, recommended coming to Melbourne.

We had a couple of horses in Sydney - Shake It Up who won and Zoumon, both Derby chances - and we didn't want them to clash so it is nice for him to come down here, nice for the stable - we've only got 15 horses in work so we're a small boutique stable so it is lovely to have a nice Saturday winner."

ATC Derby: "Yes he will but he has another win in store - take the tip, everyone - and that will be Flemington in two weeks' time and then he'll go back to Sydney."

Winning Jockey: Damien Oliver

"He's come on a bit more. I think the addition of the blinkers helped him.

"He's a unique horse. He does feel like he's a genuine stayer. What I really like about him is when he's challenged halfway down the straight that he seems to find a second wind and go again which is an unusual quality for an Australian-bred horse."

ATC Derby: "That's the query. We don't know about the wet is 'Noah's' conditions continue to prevail there. Here on top of the ground he's going great.

"He's a nice free-going stayer and that is going to take him a long way."