3 minute read
Trainer and jockey quotes following the Group 2 Neds Sandown Guineas won by Serasana at Caulfield on Saturday.
Race Result:
1st: Serasana (John Allen/R Griffiths & M de Kock) - $13
2nd: Arkansaw Kid (M Zahra/B, W & JD Hayes) - $2.80 fav
3rd: Vivy Air (D Bates/A Alexander) - $4.60
Winning Time: 1:39.53 Last 600m: N/A
Margins: 2-½ lengths x 1 length
"Going great guns for Johnny Allen!"
— Racing.com (@Racing) December 2, 2023
Serasana shuts the gate on them in the Sandown Guineas @GriffithsdeKock pic.twitter.com/kO3uLg1xTf
Winning Trainer: Robbie Griffiths & Matthew de Kock (de Kock speaking)
Group double: "This was the goal when we set out as a partnership, thank you so much to everyone involved in us for the support, we really really appreciate it and it's lovely to get a result like this because we've always thought really highly of this filly and John just gave it an absolutely perfect ride so what a day to have a Group Two double."
"We never left the winner's box from the last one!"
"We've had Group Two success before but this is definitely our first Group double on the one day, that's for sure."
Griffiths: "We can't make it a treble, we've only got the two runners!"
The preparation: "We always had the mile distance in the back of our mind and we actually wanted to be ready for the fillies' guineas and had a little hiccup in the prep which put us on the back foot so we just took our time with her and focused on this race and as you can see today she's going to make a lovely miler when she's older because she's still immature."
Soft track: "I had to go to my pedigree guru Robbie Griffiths to ask him about Snitzel's in the wet but he was pretty confident that they handle it and she was fit and well and there was no reason not to run today."
Winning Jockey: John Allen
Surprising: "To be honest I was pleasantly surprised how well she won, she gave me a nice feel the last day but I probably didn't see a performance like that coming, she really benefited from the run and the conditions and improvement to step up to the mile, she was very strong."
How the race unfolded: "She jumped well, there was a bit of pressure early on so I just took my time to get there but once we got outside the lead she relaxed nicely, got into a good rhythm and I was always travelling like a winner."
Strong late: "I could see there was something coming to my outside, I wasn't sure who it was but when I clicked my horse up she really responded and picked up the whole way to the line, she never peaked on her run and really ran through the line so a good performance."
