Cup jockeys
1st: TWILIGHT PAYMENT
Jye McNeil: It was the plan to always be forward. I wasn’t feeling a lot of pressure but when you’ve got to forward like that there is some pressure in getting it right. Thankfully it all came together. I was confident (at the Clock Tower). I had to think not to use the whip too many times. Also, I was trying to use my voice to encourage him as much as possible. It was a matter of hanging on and he was very tough. Too many emotions. It’s a very big moment.
2nd: TIGER MOTH
Kerrin McEvoy: We were able to get across into a nice spot. We dropped in and got a nice lead and he travelled really well. The winner kept running, I just had to pick up to get into the race, which he did, but the winner was just a bit strong today. It was a great run for a young horse having only his fifth start in a race. He’s run really well.
3rd: PRINCE OF ARRAN
Jamie Kah: He was super unlucky. He really deserves it. He just had no luck on the turn.
4th: THE CHOSEN ONE
Daniel Stackhouse: I couldn’t be happier with the horse. He tried his heart out. He gave a bit of a scare coming into the corner and was travelling really well. He gave a good kick and tried really hard, but he just found the end just a little bit tough. He did well.
5th: PERSAN
Michael Dee: If he’s going as good next year he’s going to be right in it. It was a massive effort. We wanted to go forward but in the end we didn’t have the speed, so I just had to tuck back and find cover where I could, ride the fence. He got a lovely run through and hit the line strong. To run so well, it was a huge thrill and it’s a credit to Ciaron (Maher) and Dave (Eustace) to keep the horse going for so long. And a massive credit to Jye McNeil as well.
6th: SIR DRAGONET
Glen Boss: Just didn’t step. He just missed it a length which put me at a disadvantage. Ideally I would have liked to have been two or three pairs closer. There’ll be people that will say that he didn’t run the trip but unfortunately, at the 1200 (metre mark), when I’m 12 lengths away, I had to do a lot of work just to get myself into a winning position. Even if I just came through on the fence, I’m still using carrots up to get to that point. But he ran very well.
7th: VERRY ELLEEGANT
Mark Zahra: Ran really well. Just ended up too far back.
8th: RUSSIAN CAMELOT
Damien Oliver: He ran well. The two miles was just a bit far for him but he ran very brave.
9th: FINCHE
James McDonald: He’s gone super. He’s stayed on really well.
10th: ASHRUN
Declan Bates: He’s run really well. He was a bit slow to muster from the wide gate so I just came back. It probably took a while for him to warm up into it, but the further I went the better he was going, but I was probably too far back. He didn’t have the gears to get there. He’s run well.
11th: OCEANEX
Dean Yendall: She went super. I rode her to run the top 12. I got her into a lovely position, had cover, it was always going to be tricky from the barrier 17. I knew the speed was drawn outside of me but I still had the task of getting across and finding the right spot, which she did. She switched off lovely and I rode her to get the journey and also to help the owner get some prizemoney.
12th: WARNING
Luke Currie: He couldn’t quicken as well as some of those better ones.
13th: SURPRISE BABY
Craig Williams: He looked like he was a little bit stressed when he was unsaddled. It’ll be really interesting to see how he pulls up. His performance was well below par for him and it will be interesting to see how he comes through the run physically.
14th: MIAMI BOUND
Daniel Moor: We had a perfect run in transit but it seems she needs wet ground to find her best.
15th: MASTER OF REALITY
Ben Melham: He felt the ground.
16th: STEEL PRINCE
William Pike: He ran well.
17th: ETAH JAMES
Billy Egan: She gave me a lovely ride.
18th: VOW AND DECLARE
Jamie Mott: He had a beautiful run. He felt quite strong with the blinkers but he just didn’t have anything to offer today once they quickened. Hopefully he can come back and get into his good form.
19th: MUSTAJEER
Michael Rodd: There might be an issue with him.
20th : STRATUM ALBION
Jordan Childs: He ran ok. We got up on a nice spot, travelled good. They were just a bit slick for him when the pace quickened.
21th: DASHING WILLOUGHBY
Michael Walker: He’s not right, the horse. He’s not right. Action-wise he’s not right.
22th: AVILIUS
John Allen: Probably didn’t run the trip in the end.
Failed to finish: ANTHONY VAN DYCK
Hugh Bowman: No comment.