Champions Sprint Review 2026: What The Jockeys Said

Point Barrow and Mark Zahra caused a boilover in the Group 1 VRC Champions Sprint (1200m) at Flemington for Anthony and Sam Freedman, holding off $101 shot Plaintiff by a neck with Skybird a short half-head away third. Here’s what the jockeys said.

It is always important to hear what the jockeys say after the race, as you can forgive a horse’s bad run or even find a winner next start, so head to the post-race comments below.

CABALLUS (Blake Shinn) – 10th

Travelled well. Presented. He just raced a bit flat on the back-up.

MAZU (Rachel King) – 9th

Mazu wasn’t feeling it today. That’s what he can do sometimes.

GEEGEES MISTRUTH (Craig Williams) – 8th

She is a horse that comes out a bit awkward unfortunately for my circumstances, she jumped too well. Couldn’t find cover, couldn’t find a backside to switch her off. Her race was over in the first two furlongs.

CHARM STONE (Damian Lane) – 7th

Just wasn’t her usual self inside the last 400-metres. She travelled great. The run presented really. Normally she fights on right through the line. Today, she hit her top quickly and unfortunately she wasn’t herself inside the 150-metres.

JOLIESTAR (James McDonald) – 6th

I thought she’s run well. Just unfortunate we probably got pushed out. Wider than we anticipated. Overall, she was gallant.

TEMPTED (Chad Schofield) – 5th

She’s obviously had a long, successful preparation but it has come to an end.

HEADWALL (Ethan Brown) – 4th

Solid effort. I think he may have felt the effects of the week back-up.

SKYBIRD (Ben Melham) – 3rd

Terrific performance. I just think that the ground is good and if it was a grade or two worse, I’d probably be in the money.

PLAINTIFF (Jordan Childs) – 2nd

Super effort by her. Obviously she’s back to her best now. She travelled well during the race. Presented, thought I was the winner and just got nabbed late. She’s back on track and she’s looking good.

POINT BARROW (Mark Zahra) – 1st

I do like riding on the straight. I was following Tempted but I didn’t like how far out they were coming in the straight because it was out in the worst part. I waited and just needed a little bit of room when I went in. She’s got such a good turn of foot I was able to part the seas and she was in for the fight late. They came at her late. She dug in and I always say the fresh horse on the scene, that hasn’t been to The Everest, is the one and she’s got the chips. A good effort.

Most of my career has been with the Freedman’s and you know when you’re riding a horse for that stable and they’ve set a race for it, it’s so fulfilling when it comes off.

I think in this race, the thing in my favour was that we were an outsider and no one really cared about me. I drew in, just wanted to be slow away, which I was, get to the outside and following Tempted.

So I got the line on the right horses. I didn’t like right out wide on the track, so I didn’t want to continue to follow. So when they went out, I waited for a gap, which was just inside, which I think is better and she had a crack when I burst through, she had a real crack and pinned the ears back late. It was a good win.

She had to find another another length, a few lengths actually. They just produced her cherry ripe, I was able to get a good run, Group One on Fisher Stakes Day so we’ll have a few tonight.

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