2022 Champions Sprint Review: What The Jockeys Said

It seemed a race that would be fought between The Everest raiders but it was Roch ‘N’ Horse that took out the Champions Sprint. Find out what the jockeys said below.

Jamie Mott (Roch ‘N’ Horse – Winner)

“We began nice. The speed, if felt, was solid enough. I had the back of Rothfire probably for the first four or five hundred and then Luke Nolen (Rothfire) shifted out to meet Nature Strip and I lost my cover. To her credit from the 650 (metre mark) I have no cover but once she came under pressure she responded well and the deeper we got into the straight the stronger she got. I had a look over at the 150 and I was like, ‘I’ve got this big boy done’.”

James McDonald (Nature Strip – Second)

“He ran super. Very proud of him. Went down fighting.”

Mark Zahra (Baller – 3rd)

“He ran a super race. Very good.”

Michael Dee (Levante – 4th)

“Very good. Probably a shame she came off the bridle probably 100 metres too early and I thought we were in a little bit of trouble, but to her credit she kept trying very hard and fought all the way to the line.”

Craig Williams (Giga Kick – 5th)

“He just didn’t turn up today. I was really managing him just to get him to run straight, he wanted to g really hard left on me when the pressure came on, so he’s done a really good job to finish where he did.”

Nash Rawiller (The Astrologist – 6th)

“My bloke was sensational. We tracked Nature Strip, came off his back and he was very solid right to the line.”

Craig Newitt (Lofty Strike – 7th)

“Went super. He’s a really, really nice horse. The horse I was following didn’t quite take him far enough. If it had taken him another 100 metres, I think he’s in it and it’s a completely different result. He’s a Group 1 horse for sure.”

Luke Nolen (Rothfire – 8th)

“Honest effort. He always runs well.”

Jamie Kah (Bella Nipotina – 9th)

“Just needed it a little bit softer (track) for her. She was strong then the last 100 she was taking short steps.”

Ben Melham (Front Page – 10th)

“Drew the wrong side of the track, but ran well.”

Brenton Avdulla (Paulele – 11th)

“He stumbled out and that probably lit him up a fraction, but I reckon he’ll probably be better around a bend than up the straight.”

Tim Clark (Argentia – 12th)

“She ran well. It wasn’t much of a gallop early and we probably got outsprinted a bit on the back-up.”

Damien Thornton (Masked Crusader – 11th)

“Disappointing. Not sure what to make of the run.”–

John Allen (The Inferno – 12th)

“He wasn’t up to them today.”