Harry Coffey just managed to beat super mare Pride of Jenni – hear from the beaten jockeys:
Craig Williams (Tom Kitten): “He presented well from the outside draw. He gave me a beautiful ride throughout but the Jenni tempo, I made a 300-metre run on him to keep him up with the way the race changed from the 800m mark. That was my 300-metres and when I got to the 400, he was gassed out and had nothing left. He did a good job to run the last 400 on empty.”
William Pike (Apulia): “He ran really well. He gave me a good sight when we came to the side. He kicked well in the straight but it is just that gruelling test of attrition that caught us late but he did really well.”
Jordan Childs (Just Fine): “I had to do the lead-up work to Pride Of Jenni and she just broke them in the end.”
Ben Melham (Birdman): “He travelled really well throughout. When I let him off the bridle in the ground, he struggled in it.”
Beau Mertens (Sabaj): “He was terrific. He really stamped his mark against weight-for-age horses but he has done a great job considering the brutal tempo that Jenni provides and he is a horse going to the next level.”
Lachlan Neindorf (Mark Twain): “Got on the back of the horse I wanted to in Sabaj who was on the back of Apulia. We got a nice cart up into it. Sabaj ran on and our fella didn’t. Maybe third-up, back on top of the track and back in class, we’ll see what he does then.”
Declan Bates (Pride Of Jenni): “She’s a warrior. I don’t think I have ever asked of a horse what I asked of her today. I really asked her to extend quite early and she responded so gallantly. Frustrating not to win, obviously, but I am delighted for Harry. I’m really happy with my horse.”
Jamie Melham (Damask Rose): “She has pulled up quite sore today.”
Damian Lane (Leica Lucy): “Just lacked genuine tempo.”
Jye McNeil (Basilinna): “I thought it was a really honest run for something softer.”
Daniel Stackhouse (Philia): “I just think she’s come to the end of her preparation. She had a lovely run in transit but they just came on to push her a long way out.”
