Sydney sprinter Russian Revolution showed his class with a determined first-up win in Saturday's Group II McEwen Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley.
The winner of The Galaxy (1100m) last season, Russian Revolution ($3.40) pressed his claims for a slot in The Everest with his win over the Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra-trained Heatherly ($7.50).
Queensland filly Houtzen ($2.45 fav) was under pressure a fair way out but rallied to run third ahead of Missrock ($9.50).
Below is what the jockeys had to say about the performances of their McEwen Stakes mounts.
|
PLACING |
RUNNER |
JOCKEY |
COMMENT |
|
1st |
RUSSIAN REVOLUTION |
MARK ZAHRA |
Too strong. He had a nice run and I could hear Houtzen was under the whip coming to the bend and I thought we were going to be hard to beat from there. The boys (Peter and Paul Snowden) always have their horses spot on. |
|
2nd |
HEATHERLY |
DAMIAN LANE |
Really happy with her. She behaved herself but she still didn't jump great but she's going to be spot-on in three weeks' time. |
|
3rd |
HOUTZEN |
CRAIG WILLIAMS |
She didn't show her customary speed from the gates so we just had to sit there and suffer. It wasn't pretty but it brought us out to the part of the track where the winner was. Around the turn I thought we were going to run last so to her credit, and her ability, she did a really good job to be under full pressure and stay on and run third. |
|
4th |
MISSROCK |
DAMIEN OLIVER |
She ran well but she probably found the 1000(m) second-up a touch on the short side for her. |
|
5th |
SUPIDO |
LUKE NOLEN |
They probably didn't go as quick as we would have liked and it probably would have been a mathematical impossibility to close and beat them but he ran well. |
|
6th |
HELLBENT |
DWAYNE DUNN |
He'll improve with the run and he's probably better on the outside (of horses). |
