3 minute read

Trainer and jockey quotes after Grinzinger Belle takes out the Group 3 Catanach’s 150 Years Vase at Caulfield on Saturday.

Race Result:

1st: Grinzinger Belle (D O'Brien/D Lane) - $5.50
2nd: Private Legacy (G Hickman/B Melham) - $31
3rd: See You In Heaven (R & C Jolly/C Williams) - $6.00

Winning Time: 1:36.98 Last 600m: N/A

Margins: Neck x 1-½ lengths

Grinzinger Belle cleared the field from the outside barrier, led throughout & won impressively from the fast-finishing, Private Legacy @LaneDamian @DOBrienRacing pic.twitter.com/3QsI24wjYU

— Racing.com (@Racing) October 12, 2024

Winning Trainer: Danny O'Brien

Got a 1600m win: "She's been beaten a head in two mile races previously and just gobbled up late. I think that's as far as she wants, obviously, but she got the right conditions, she did a really good job there."

On the ride: ""She can't lead and stack up because they'll out-sprint her, and that's what happened at Moonee Valley. So we were pretty keen to be aggressive today. She needs to take the power out of the ones chasing her well before they turn it home. And Damian did that today. It's A fine balance, leaving enough to get to the line as well, but she has been ridden really well by Damian throughout her career and once again today."

Wide draw no issue: "Absolutely. There' s no disadvantage. It enables you to get there at your own speed rather than really having to jam from an inside gate to hold a spot. And she did have to work a bit, Mark Zahra pushed up inside her on Vibrant Sun."

"She certainly didn't get it as easy as you'd like the first two or three hundred metres, but she's a great mare that's in great form and she's carried the big penalty there today. We'll get her to the mile race in three weeks' time now and they'll meet on set weights."

 "It'll be a stronger race, but I'm sure she'll give a good sight."

Developing: "She's always been a very big mare, and she was always going to be a mare that as she strengthened and was able to carry her frame better, she'd get better. And she's come back this spring, and certainly found a few lengths on what was good three-year-old form, but she is one of those horses that's got better at four."

Winning Jockey: Damian Lane

Bounced back from The Valley: "Yeah, Danny and I had a robust discussion after Moonee Valley that I probably didn't go quick enough on her and there was a couple of circumstances surrounding that, but I think she showed today that she's a high-cruising speed horse and, yeah, I wasn't sure at the mile either, but two ticks to Danny. Credit where credit's due. He got both right."

Early work: "No, she was out in her feet late, but I'd done a bit of work through that middle stage so she was entitled to be."

"I think she just sees out the mile, so I wouldn't expect she'd go any further than that. Maybe the Empire Rose next start. I'm not sure if she goes somewhere in between, probably not. I'm not sure, but that might be a good option for her now."