3 minute read
Trainer and jockey quotes following the Melbourne Cup Carnival Country Final won by Toregene at Flemington on Thursday.
Race Result:
1st: Toregene (Matthew Williams/Dean Yendall) - $4.80 fav
2nd: Bookman (Andrew Noblet/James McDonald) - $11
3rd: Corona Lad (Nathan Dunn/Blake Shinn) - $6
Winning Time: 1:35.54 Last 600m: N/A
Margins: 1¼L x 1½L
TOREGENE!
— Racing.com (@Racing) November 3, 2022
The daughter of Mongolian Khan takes out the $500k Melbourne Cup Carnival Country Final for @mwracing3638 & @Yendall21 @OTIRacing pic.twitter.com/JGDa4W1j7r
Winning Trainer: Matthew Williams
On the horse: "She's done a really good job and she's still not the furnished product yet. You could see midrace she was still just wanting to get up on the bridle there a bit strong - I reckon Deano might have a broken tooth, he would have been gritting the teeth a little bit - but she's definitelygot good ability and is on the right path."
On how she compares with Literary Magnate: "We don't work many horses with her because she's just too keen in her trackwork, so I've never lined them up together.
"But we've known for a while that she's got good ability, it was just about going through small steps and keeping her raceday manner under control and there was going to be a nice race in her.
On the run of stablemate Mi Rock Aly: "I thought about the 300-metre mark, when Craig just had nowhere to go on her, she was going to be right in it if with a bit more clear room earlier. She's run terrific, she's come back well."
Winning Jockey: Dean Yendall
On the win and the mare: "She began cleanly, she just wanted to steam underneath me, but she's always that sort of horse that just does her thing and you've basically got to be a pilot on her and let her do her own thing.
"She's just strong and just a big mare. You can't pull her around, she's just too hard a horse to guide in that respect. A lot of guys see how I was on her at the Cranbourne night meeting, I was in all sorts on her just trying to get her to stay in behind.
"Everything panned out today, I was able to get where I wanted to in the straight, just fed through, asked for a good effort and everything I threw at her she gave. It was a magnificent win."
On returning from serious injury: "Words can't describe how I feel. I'm pretty chuffed that all guys have put the belief in me that I've still got it.
"I've got the zest for it this time around, obviously there was a mindset in the back of the head, what-ifs and what-happens, but I thought stuff that, get out there and do what you love doing."
