3 minute read
Trainer and jockey quotes after the Group 3 Racing And Sports Doncaster Prelude is won by Bandersnatch at Rosehill on Saturday.
Race Result:
1st: Bandersnatch (M, W & J Hawkes/B Avdulla) - $7.50
2nd: Welwal (C Waller/K McEvoy) - $12
3rd: Diamil (J O'Shea/T Marquand) - $14
Winning Time: 1:29.97 Last 600m: 33.98
Margins: 2¼L x ½L
"Bandersnatch is ripping clear for a Doncaster appointment!"
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 25, 2023
Bring on the Group 1 Doncaster.@HawkesRacing @brentonavdulla pic.twitter.com/IA5GwMZFdr
Winning Trainer: Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes (Michael speaking)
On the run: "Great effort, the horse has been flying. We've just tried to place him in the best possible races we could. Last start he probably was the best thing beat of all time. Today on paper probably the barrier, a lot of people might have thought it was ordinary, but for us it worked out to be really good."
"He just takes his time to get across. Brenton (Avdulla), he rides this horse perfect. I know a lot of people have had goes at him but he just has an association, that he just gets the best out of him. He's just kicked and won well."
"This horse has just got better and better and better."
On the Doncaster next: "Brutal was our last Doncaster winner and drew an ordinary barrier, it takes a good horse to do it. Bandersnatch, he's got a light weight, he's an impressive horse, he's always been thereabouts. I think it's an even sort of race to a degree and he just needs a decent run and if it's a bit wet, he likes that too. The horse is flying and honestly he's a good chance."
Winning Jockey: Brenton Avdulla
On the run in transit: "It worked out well, obviously with Cross Talk drawn to our inside we were just going to take our time and end up outside him. But he's a quirky sort of horse, you don't really ride him for a position, you just tend to throw the reins at him."
On being a difficult horse: "He's a horse that if you have any contact with him he sort of throws his head back at you. He only threw it back once at me, that's a result. I felt in control a long way out. He's a horse that sometimes I've hit him, he's curled up under me so I know him back to front and he knows me. I let him do his thing and he was spot on today."
On the horse: "He tries hard. I think he's overachieved, I never looked at him as a Group 2 winner (note: today was a Group 3) but he's just kept improving and team Hawkes have done an amazing job with him."
Beaten Jockeys:
Zac Lloyd (Mount Popa): "Disappointing."
Nash Rawiller (Skyman): "Would have liked him to relax a bit better. Took a while to get cover."
Josh Parr (Yonkers): "Really nice fresh performance."
Tim Clark (Cross Talk): "He ran a good honest race. He is racing well at this level."
Tom Marquand (Diamil): "Ran super. Probably found that trip tiny bit sharp for him."
Rachel King (Riodini): "Didn't have a lot of luck in running."
Ryan Maloney (New Mandate): "Had it drawn a gate I think he would have made it quite interesting. They went quite slow and really sprinted. Thought he hit the line really well. Should be in for a good preparation."
John Allen (Great House): "OK for further."
Sam Clipperton (Kukeracha): "Hit the line quite well off a wide barrier."
Dylan Gibbons (Lord Ardmore): "Great return."
Brett Prebble (Waterford): "He is feeling something I think."
Tyler Schiller (Times Square): "I thought she was really good. Just needed a little bit more pace just to get her to run into the race."
Kerrin McEvoy (Welwal): "He has run a nice race there."
Tom Sherry (Worsfold): "Blew the start and finished off the race well."
Robbie Dolan (Cuban Royale): "He is a lovely horse. Attacked the line really well. Maybe looking for a little bit further."
