3 minute read

Trainer and jockey quotes after Monegal takes out the Group 3 Epona Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.

Race Result:

1st: Monegal (T Bateup/R King) - $7
2nd: Nerve Not Verve (M Moroney/W Pike) - $9
3rd: Feel The Rush (C Maher & D Eustace/L Meech) - $26

Winning Time: 2:00.62 Last 600m: 36.58

Margins:  2¼L x 4¼L

Monegal was simply superb in the Epona Stakes!@BateupTheresa @RachelK11 @aus_turf_club pic.twitter.com/loaE6v7UXj

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 19, 2022

Winning Trainer: Theresa Bateup

On the mare: "What a super little mare. I just don't know what to say about this horse, I just love her so much. A big thank you to everyone involved, her bunch of owners, my partner Mick that rides her all her work, everyone back at home. She has just been such a fantastic horse. I am so proud of her."

"Rachel has ridden her a treat. She is just so tough, she's a six-year-old mare and she is racing as well as ever. I've got that many people that message her and always have their $10 or $20 on her every time she goes around. They love the fact she's underrated, they get good value. She thoroughly deserves that and that was the idea of coming here today, we were after that black-type."

On the win: "I was just hoping for that top three finish and to see her come out and win is absolutely fantastic. She deserved that little bit of black-type next to her name. She has been so consistent throughout her career, she has just been on the edge in a couple of those black-type races so that's just brilliant."

On a first Group win: "This is what you get up for every day. We're not going out buying high-priced yearlings, she was a $3000 buy at Scone Yearling Sale and to think that you can go there, buy a horse for that sort of money, even through her career for her to be consistently racing in Sydney on Saturdays, it's just a thrill to be able to get a win like this.

"I'm glad it's her that was able to be my first Group winner because she has been such a great little horse for us and we're just so proud of her."

Winning Jockey: Rachel King

On the quick back-up: "I think the Heavy track obviously does help her. It probably got a little bit firm for her on Monday (Canberra Cup) but all credit to Theresa (Bateup) and the team they've managed to back her up and she's come to this race bouncing out of skin. I was confident from the 600m"

On being confident at the 600m: "I might not have looked it but I was."

On the mid-race scrimmage: "I wasn't sure of what quite happened on the inside of me, it got a bit tight but this mare is really tough. I sort of jammed her in quite a small gap and it didn't worry her and when she got that bit of space she extended really well. "

Beaten Jockeys:

Brock Ryan (Le Lude): "She went good. She probably just overdid it in the middle stages and it took the edge out of her late."

Tom Sherry (Harmony Rose): "Unlucky."

William Pike (Nerve Not Verve): "Good run."

Jason Collett (Galaxy Belle): "Didn't go a yard in it today."

Tyler Schiller (Fill Of Fun): "She was good. Just needs back in trip."

Kathy O'Hara (Bedford Square): "Nice run. Probably the top end of her distance range."

Tim Clark (Twice On Sunday): "She stopped like she has a bit of an issue."

Regan Bayliss (Wild Sheila): "Beaten a long way today."

Brenton Avdulla (Azarmin): "She ran well. Just needs to go back in grade and back in trip."

Linda Meech (Feel The Rush): "Super effort. She eats mud for breakfast."