3 minute read

Trainer and jockey quotes after the Group 1 Crown Oaks at Flemington on Thursday taken out by Treasurethe Moment.

Race Result:

1st: Treasurethe Moment (M Laurie/D Lane) - $3.10F
2nd: Powers Of Opal (J Sargent/J McDonald) - $3.70
3rd: Hurry Curry (D O'Brien/J Moreira) - $21

Winning Time: 2:39.11 

Margins: 1¼L x 1½L

Winning Trainer: Matt Laurie

On winning the Oaks: "I can't really put it into words. I'm still shaking. It was a painless watch. It is a dream to win a G1 in this week."

On winning a big one: "It is 20 years of work really trying to achieve something like this. I'm just so grateful to my team at home and to Team Yulong. They have supported me. This is a home–bred. To watch her progress to win a G1 is incredible."

On how good she is: "She is obviously very talented. She just aids herself in the way she just goes to sleep in the run. She conserves all her energy. She lets down. It was very painless."

When does it sink in?: "I'm still shaking a little bit. I will enjoy it. It's a dream. We will celebrate long and hard I can guarantee that."

"​​I thought I' d win at Sandown. I think it was three back (28 Sept). It was very, very tough. I didn't really have too many questions about her at least reaching 2000 metres and she obviously answered that pretty heavily over the weekend.

We were just hoping we'd slot in and Damien (Lane) managed that perfectly and I started to get very hot and nervous before the race. But yeah, it was a painless watch really.

Having Yulong's backing: "It's incredible. I mean, they' ve been such a positive thing for the industry and to have them in my corner is… I feel very privileged."

Winning Jockey: Damien Lane

On the filly: "She is a beauty. Just kept improving this preparation. Matt said to me before I rode her last start he thought that she was a really good horse in the making. She has proved them right. She is a bloody ripper."

On drawing wide: "I just whipped her into the three back, one off position as you do. She jumps well so it gives you a good option in the first part of the race. I got a nice bit of speed where I could tuck in. Travelled perfectly throughout the run. "

Wakeful/Oaks double: "It is a tried and tested method. I did the same on Aristia. I was confident that was the right form. A couple of other horses coming through which you weren't sure of - the Spring Champion and the Ethereal. I was as confident as you can be."

"I was pretty happy with the run I had. The advantage that she has is that she begins well, so you it gives you that option to be a little bit positive and I said to Matty before we went out I'd rather take the risk rather than being negative or too positive, just take the risk that we can get in and then from there we can win.

"I'm glad it worked out that way and she was great.

In the run: "A touch keen through the first part. "She probably didn't switch off quite as well as she did on Saturday so that was a touch concerning.

"But as we got further into the race, she found a better rhythm and my confidence started to build from probably halfway on.

"She gave a really good kick and and sustained a good gallop, and I thought something's going to have to be special to beat her, and I sensed one not too far away about the 150. I thought no, they' d have to be really good to beat her from here, and to her credit, she just held a really good gallop.

"She actually gave me a very similar feel to Aristia on Saturday, but hopefully can go on with it a little more."

Beaten Jockeys:

Michael Dee (Too Darn Discreet): "She held a nice enough gallop all the way to the line. She hung in again so not sure what that is all about but something for Dan (O'Sullivan) to work out next prep."

Blake Shinn (Harlem Queen): "We had a nice run in transit. She tries hard. Very nice filly."

Chad Schofield (Rag Queen): "We had a nice cosy run on the rail but she probably lacks a bit of class."

James McDonald (Powers Of Opal): "She's run enormous. She executed the gallop. She improved since Saturday so very proud of her."

Craig Williams (Pleasure Artist): "Her run was commendable. She could feel her inexperience out there when they quickened up after going very slow. Loved the way she stayed on. She's in for a very bright future."

Billy Egan (Talisay): "She ran good. I think Adelaide in the autumn might be her go."

Daniel Stackhouse (Femminile): "She had a lovely first half of the race from an awkward barrier. Really happy with the way she travelled. Just on the Good 3 track she struggled to quicken when they went. She'll be aimed for the South Australian Oaks now."

Tim Clark (Killcare Beachgirl): "She just didn't back up from Saturday."

Andrew Adkins (Noises): "Terrific effort from her. She got in a really good spot and rhythm. She found off the back of that. A couple just were a bit classier than her late but very proud of her."

Joao Moreira (Hurry Curry): "She had a very good run through the race. Tracked the winner. She pulled to the outside into the straight where she had every chance. She gave them some challenge but she wasn't good enough to go past them. Especially the winner. However, I still think it was a very good run."

Jye McNeil (Inevitable Truth): "She travelled really well for me today. Gave a nice kick and gave me something to get excited about but the others were too classy today."

Ben Melham (Placid Pearl): "She had a bit against her form the outside draw. She's a nice filly that stays well but she's not quite there yet."

Luke Currie (All Kinds Of Folk): "She'll be better for the experience and she'll be better next prep."