3 minute read
Trainer and jockey quotes following the Group 1 Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes won by Southport Tycoon at Moonee Valley on Friday.
Race Result:
1st: Southport Tycoon (Ciaron Maher/Mark Zahra) - $21
2nd: Growing Empire (Ciaron Maher/Craig Williams) - $3.80F
3rd: I WIsh I Win (Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman/Luke Nolen) - $5
Winning Time: 1:09.91 Last 600m: N/A
Margins: ½ Head x 2L
SOUTHPORT TYCOON FROM THE CLOUDS!
— Racing.com (@Racing) September 27, 2024
The Written Tycoon 4YO wins his 2nd Group 1 @cmaherracing pic.twitter.com/Gz97Lfbadq
Winning Trainer: Ciaron Maher
"He raced really well around The Valley, he needed that first-up run. I said to Nath, he went from a boy to a man over the break.
"He needed that first-up just to get him back in the swing of things. A month between runs, trial, - he sort of put the writing on the board in the trial, his sectionals were phenomenal late.
"I thought Mark was the perfect jockey for him, because you had to play that nice waiting race, nice waiting ride.
He can find a pretty good horse, can't he?: "He can find them. He's got about half a dozen two-year-olds in the stable at the moment, they're all showing a bit, so yeah, they can definitely find them."
Comments from Nathan Bennett: "They told us from the start. They told us from word go that he was a pretty good colt. They've looked after him, they just said, we've got to wait, we've got to wait, we kept waiting, just put all the trust in the boys, and wow.
"I actually can't believe what Mark Zara just did on him then. I did take the 200, I'm like, 'oh, we're just going to run a nice race here', but to run them down and win it, jeez, that's some run.
Ciaron and his team, well done, and Dave Eustace also had a lot to do with it, so well done to Dave as well. I'm just so happy for everyone. I actually feel like I'm going to have a heart attack.
Ciaron on Growing Empire: "They would have ran some really slick times early, and to be there, like, he looked a winner all the way down the straight, he's just been collared late. Serious, serious colt, he's got a massive lot of upside.
"Craig said he just, with the shades on, he just sort of might have thought the job was maybe, you know, but, you know, phenomenal, you know, for both colts, really.
"Growing Empire, I thought, hge was our better seed. But, you know, that toughness, that race toughness showed there late."
Winning Jockey: Mark Zahra
The irony of racing, right? You are the epitome of that, aren't you?: "I thought you were gonna say you were the arsiest bastard ever.
"I just rode him for luck. I mean seeing my other horse in front like that, geez, he gave such a good chase. Me and Ciaron were quietly the confident like he was going really well and I didn't even have a chance to pull the whip, you know. I was coming through that quick and just got the stride in the right time.
Everyone thought that he might need the run and He'll be better up in distance, but I think he proved all those people wrong. "Ciaron's a master trainer; like I went up and trialled him probably six weeks ago, and he was you know a bit fat and he went just okay, and then I went up to Sydney and rode him, and I seen him again the other day with the blinkers on at the jump outs, and he just looked like a new horse.
"He's just he knows how to get these horses ready at the right time, and I'm happy to be on there the otherside with a roughy winning.
He knows how to get the horses ready, but you also know how to nail them right on the line. "I wasn't sure if I won or not - I was coming that fast and knowing the other horse , he's a stargazer.
"He would have thought him and Craig I reckon would have thought they won. And if there's the only way to beat that horse is to get him late before he can see you coming. Lucky I know him well."
Beaten Jockeys:
Luke Nolen (I Wish I Win): "Terrific. We just didn't get a drag into the race like we probably thought, well, like we hoped we wouldn't win pre-race, but he's run sensational. Bring on the Everest. Karen McEvoy, Coleman. He ran well. He showed nice improvement in his first up run. He's going to enjoy getting back on a bigger track than mine, so he's handling himself really well. Jason Collett, Camochi. Yeah, brave. She had a wide run, but stuck on really well.
Damian Lane (Veight): "He ran a lot better than where he finished, just too sharp for him at this level, 1,200. Up in troops slightly, he'll be much better."
Michael Dee (Recommendation): "I'd say he's probably come to the end of his prep. He's had a great prep on top of the ground tonight.Probably didn't suit him, but I still thought he ran well enough."
Ben Melham (Johnny Rocker): "Just reared as the gates opened and it was pretty much game over for him. Ran well."
Josh Parr (Caballus): "He flew the gate, we sat in the 1-1 in a good position and he wasn't able to take advantage of that."
Blake Shinn (Estriella): "Looked disappointing on face value. Had to use a little bit of petrol to cross but I was happy to be in the race, travelled well, didn't find as much as I thought, laid in a bit in the straight. May be better suited like Flemington or a bigger track.
Jason Collett (Kimochi): "Brave. She had a wide run, but stuck on really well."
Daniel Stackhouse (Climbing Star): "Yeah, super run, really happy. We'll see her return tonight. She's run really well."
Kerrin McEvoy (Coleman): "He ran well. He showed nice improvement in his first up run. He's going to enjoy getting back on a bigger track than mine, so he's handling himself really well."
Craig Williams (Growing Empire): "He was certainly gallant in defeat today. First time up against those horses. You can see why Ciaron brought him here. The blinkers have worked to switch him on. There's a bit of pressure early. Probably made us a little bit vulnerable late. It was a good, tough, strong horse, an older horse that beat us in the wire, but he's only going to improve from that experience. He was very gallant in defeat. It's a shame we didn't hold on
Jamie Kah (Hayasugi): " Just an off day for her, I guess."
