Hear what the major players have to say ahead of a massive G1 race day on Saturday

$2m G1 VICTORIA DERBY (2500m)

JACK TURNBULL (for CIARON MAHER)

OBSERVER: “He was really good on Saturday (Vase victory). He was soft to the line and gave everyone a cheer but he’s come through the race really well and onwards to the big one on Saturday. He’s doing it pretty quickly as we know hence Mark (Zahra) was soft on him late to give him every chance to come through it, and he has. The asset that Observer does have he is very clean-winded. He seems to be elite in terms of his aerobic capacity and we don’t overtrain them, so if he going to get it (2500m trip), he’ll get it there naturally off the back of Saturday.”

MATSUDA: “He was solid in the Geelong Classic (fourth) and we are going to put some headgear on him. Went very slow in front and he just couldn’t quicken when the rest outsprinted him and so hopefully they (blinkers) do help.”

AMAZAKE: “In the old Norman Robinson (Caulfield Classic), he was very good. They went slow again in the race and they quickened and he stuck on quite well. His genes are CT long. As a three-year-old they generally stretch to 25 (2500 metres) and he’s straight forward. He puts himself on speed and he’s tractable and we thought we saw enough last start to warrant him going to 2500.”

CHRIS WALLER

PROVIDENCE: “Providence is by Wootton Bassett, a great international stallion that leaves winners over all distances, so that gives us a bit of confidence to know that he’ll get 2500m and he certainly hit the line strongly last Saturday. He’s a great chance. He’s come through the race really well, he’s a colt so he’s got some natural strength and hormones. He looks well prepared, he’s got a great nature, he relaxes well, so he’ll give himself every chance.”

TONY MCEVOY

OPTIONS: “He stepped slow out of the gate, and it just put him back too far, we thought we were going to be a bit closer. Then nothing opened up for him, he rode in and rode for luck and didn’t get the luck. He’s pulled up beautifully as you can see from that race, he never got to his top. We think he’ll stay, the horse is fantastic, he strode out beautifully here this morning. The favourite’s going to be very hard to beat but if there’s one there that can beat him, it can be us.”

BEN GLEESON (for MARK WALKER)

MCWOODY: “You probably look at it as being unorthodox to go third up in the derby with the likes of McWoody but he’s naturally a very good stayer. By Alabama (Express) out of a Street Cry mare and we saw what Treasurethe Moment (similar bloodlines) did over that trip last year so we’ve just trained him lightly and specifically for the derby, so we hope he gets in. The other day (Caulfield Classic) he covered much more ground than the rest of the runners at his second start. He was very game so I think he’ll have big improvement in the derby. Jamie Melham is booked so that is really exciting. If you look at the overhead (vision) he actually hit the front, put his head in front a little bit and ducked in whether he wasn’t sure about how to put the race away potentially. Jamie’s great in pulling the whip through the left hand and that it probably what he needs. He’s got that big aerobic capacity.”

AZAZEL: “He came through his derby trial well and he went down the beach this morning (Monday). It was a tough win, The crawled and stacked them up and he’s a horse that wants a genuine tempo and a good staying contest. Hopefully it’s a truly run race and we see both their staying attributes come to the fore. They’ll have a gallop over the courser proper here tomorrow (Tuesday) and that will have them cherry ripe for Saturday.”

NICK RYAN

HIGHVOL: “He did everything bar win at Geelong and still did a bit wrong. I think he’s going to take improvement from that, and we might tinker around with him this week.”

MIEWA: “Touchwood, there’s a little bit of water to go under the bridge, but he’s had the perfect prep. He’s peaking at the right time and we’re really happy with him. He had his final main gallop yesterday, he worked really well, he’s right where I want him and I’m looking forward to Saturday.”

MATT CUMANI

DEAL DONE FAST: “Yes, definitely (he’ll run), barring any issues. He’s going to have his final gallop tomorrow, and he’s in great shape for it. There was a very nervous moment where I thought we might not make the field, but they’ve recently put him up to a rating of 66, so I think that gets him in quite comfortably. He certainly looks like a horse that will appreciate the distance, he was bred for this sort of thing. He’s got the right attitude for this race, and it’s now just a question of whether he can dominate over the competition or not.”

 

$2m G1 COOLMORE STUD STAKES (1200m)

JACK TURNBULL (for CIARON MAHER)

JIMMY RECARD: “He is certainly a a chance, He galloped on a heavy 10 track here this morning (Monday) at Cranbourne and actually relished the ground with no headgear. He will wear blinkers on Saturday with Ben Allen. He’s had a very smooth run into it this race on Saturday and historically horses go really well third and fourth up and we are really happy with the way he’s got here. Hopefully, the moisture does stay around and he draws a favourable gate in a part of the track we want him to be. He was far side against the rail (last start in the Danehill) which didn’t really work out for him last start. But physically, we couldn’t be happier.”

CHRIS WALLER

BEIWACHT: “Pretty happy. We didn’t want to do too much, just have a look, and we got that. There was a horse in front, he wasn’t worried about chasing or running it down, he just did his own piece of work. I think it’s really important. Most of our winners up the straight have done it (jump-out down the straight) once or twice, and it certainly makes you feel better. It’s one less thing to worry about come raceday, especially with Sydney horses who are always looking for the running rail. I think it’s taken his confidence to a new level, and our confidence as well. We know what he’s capable of doing, he broke the track record, his figures were amazing. It’s exactly what you want from a stallion for the future, so it’s good for Godolphin and it’s good for us.”

PETER SNOWDEN

BEADMAN: “We just wanted to give him a nice look around (Flemington) and stretch his legs the last 300 metres, he had a good bunny to chase down, which was great, and I was more than happy to. I’d left a bit of meat on the bone to come down, thinking the travel might’ve knocked him around, but he’s come down and hasn’t changed one bit, so he’s got that causal nature … hopefully Saturday, we’re ready to go. On the day, there’s a massive crowd, a lot going on and you’ve got to really be focussed on your job. To know a bit where he’s going now, that’s going to be advantageous for Saturday. There are five or six really decent horses there, and the horse that won last week at Caulfield (Tentyris), no doubt he’s talented, and Raging Force is going to be there as well. It’ll be a really good race, and it should be. It’s a stallion making race, the Coolmore, and only the best win that race. I’m happy to be part of it.”

GAI WATERHOUSE

STARDOM (nominated for Coolmore Stud Stakes and The Vanity): “I love backing up horses and she showed us on Saturday at The Valley she was very tenacious. She’ll run a cracking race.”

 

$1m G1 EMPIRE ROSE STAKES (1600m)

CHRIS WALLER:

FANGIRL: “Fangirl would be the top seed just on class alone and what she’s done throughout her career. She’s in the twilight zone but James McDonald was aboard this morning, he said she’s bright and happy and was having a good look around up the straight. He said she’s ready to turn it on Saturday.”

LEICA LUCY: “She’s been running good races. Slight gear change with her, so she’ll have the one-eyed blinker on. She had that on this morning and came up the straight really well.”

LAZZURA: “Lazzura I think will appreciate getting back to Flemington. Flemington’s a more forgiving surface; it’s in pristine condition this morning and I’m looking forward to getting her here on Saturday.”

BEN GLEESON (for MARK WALKER)

DAMASK ROSE: “She probably should have finished a lot closer in the Toorak. She never got out and finished basically on the bridle, Nothing Jamie (Melham) could do about it. She just had three horses come back in her lap and nowhere to go and a lapful of horse. She came back and she was pretty filthy as she knew she would have been a good chance at winning it. We thought she was flying going into it. We’ve been happy with all three of her runs and she will be peaking on Saturday. We had the option of going to the Golden Eagle but we thought we’d stay at home and run in the mile, We thought she was much better suited back to fillies and mares and appreciate a nice long straight like Flemington. Blake Shinn had the choice of many rides in the race and he chose her so its very exciting to have her cherry ripe.”