LIVE COVERAGE: Eagle Farm 8 February 2020

The Brisbane Racing Club hosts Queensland metropolitan racing at Eagle Farm today. 

Follow our live blog for all the comments from jockeys and trainers, photos and race replays from all nine races on the card. 

Race 1 - 12:38PM TAB QTIS Two-Years-Old Handicap (1200 METRES)

1^st – Hancora Field – Les Ross – Matthew McGillivray

2^nd – Jellishot – Robert Heathcote – Adin Thompson

3^rd – Bellissimi Amici – Robert Heathcote – Robbie Fradd

Trainer – Les Ross

“She’s a good filly she missed out at the Gold Coast to the stablemate who we thought was just going around for a barrier trial, but she’s turned the tables today.”

“The tempo was really against Mishani Machine who gets back and runs on and I said to Matty (McGillivray) the winner would be hard to run down because she outsprints the other filly at home.”

“We thought she’d be third or fourth, but when no one took it up it certainly increased our chances.”

“It took me a long time to win a race here but when it rains it pours, so I’m enjoying it now.”

Jockey – Matthew McGillivray

“We were able to dictate the tempo and give ourselves every chance, and gee I was surprised what we got away with up front I was very surprised no one put the pressure on us.”

“She changed legs at the right time when she balanced, and I thought she’d be very hard to run down and that was the case.”

“She’s got a nice juicy neck on her and Les told me she had a nice 400 metre sprint on her, having that in mind leading was ideal.”

“The track is softish enough, but I think it will play quite even throughout the day.”

Race 2 - 1:13PM CASCADE BENCHMARK 75 Handicap (2225 METRES)

1^st – Kuttamurra Al – Lindsay Hatch – Baylee Nothdurft

2^nd – In Your Element – Kevin Kemp – Madeleine Wishart

3^rd – The Investigator – Paul Duncan – Matthew McGillivray

Trainer – Lindsay Hatch

“We freshened him up and set him for the Ballina Cup where he was pretty unlucky and Robbie Fradd told us to push on it was a good effort.”

“I talked to Baylee before the race and told him if they’re walking creep a little closer and it was a winning move to get outside the leader mid-race.”

“Baylee knows the horse very well, he rides him in work and has won a few races with him now and the horse needed his experience to get him over the line there.”

“We came to the races with Kevin Kemp, he’s a very gracious loser with such a tight margin.”

Jockey – Baylee Nothdurft

“They were going very slow and he was comfortable taking the sit, so I let him stride forward and sit outside the leader and he got into a comfortable rhythm after that.”

“It took him a while to get there, but it was a real tough staying effort to hit the front at the right time.”

“The tracks really good, the humidity not so good.”

Race 3 - 1:48PM GRINDERS Class 3 Handicap (1840 METRES)

1^st – Twilighter – Desleigh Forster – Mark Du Plessis

2^nd – Ultimate Ring – Kelly Schweida – Ryan Maloney

3^rd – Round of Applause – Ray Litton – Brad Pengelly

Trainer – Desleigh Forster

“We were quietly confident coming here three weeks ago and ran a good race and when we came up with a good gate again today, I thought we’d be hard to beat.”

“I said to Mark don’t be afraid to give her a little dig to get her interested, you can ride her back in the field, but we wanted to take luck out of it.”

“With the rail out ten metres today I think it’s going to pay to ride aggressively and that’s what Mark did.”

“I think she’ll go on to win bigger staying races up here, she showed her versatility today and if she can keep improving on that she could steal a good race.”

“She’s a lovely mare paraded beautifully great temperament, good things to come.”

Jockey – Mark Du Plessis

“I took the initiative from the start and got her into the box seat, and they were walking throughout the run I was always confident she could peel off.”

“She’s gone up two furlongs in distance and Desleigh thinks she’ll get further so I had no worries hitting the front at the top of the straight.”

Race 4 - 2:23PM MOUNT FRANKLIN QTIS Three-Years-Old Handicap (1600 METRES)

1^st – Vanna Girl – Toby & Trent Edmonds – Matthew McGillivray

2^nd – Violet – Michael Nolan – Baylee Nothdurft

3^rd – Stuttering – Robert Heathcote – Ron Stewart

Trainer – Toby Edmonds

“I told Matty wherever he came we really wanted her to build momentum and not get held up, which was a tough task for gate one, but he rode for luck at the inside and she was very impressive.”

“She relaxes nicely and even up in the weights today she has a very nice turn of foot.”

“We were going to spell her after her win at the Sunshine Coast, but earlier in the week I saw her swanning around the paddock, so we put her in today.”

“The Oaks is her grand final, whether we give her one more now before tipping her out I’m not sure, but she’ll be back in the winter.”

Jockey – Matthew McGillivray

“Barrier one was a big help last start we were in the carpark and had to go back, but she had no problems being a little more handy today from the draw.”

“When the gap came, she was full of running she’s got some scope this filly.”

“I thought we were in a bit of a pocket but she was going that well we only needed a half gap and she was away.”

Race 5 - 3:02PM JIM BEAM BENCHMARK 70 Handicap (1200 METRES)

1^st – Boom Boy – Tony Gollan – Matthew McGillivray

2^nd – Moscini – Dale Groves – Adin Thompson

3^rd – Perfect Aim – Pat Duff – Luke Dittman

Stable Foreman – Craig Cavanough

“It’s great to see this horse win today the owners are crook at home and a I’m sure it made them feel a bit better seeing him get up.”

“Matty timed it to perfection, he said to me in the enclosure he was going to time his run till the last minute and he was good on his word.”

“The horse has a few tricks it speaks to the form Matty is in that he summed things up so well.”

Jockey – Matthew McGillivray

“I thought he would race well he’s a bit of a funny horse to ride and work out he doesn’t like being up there on the speed he’s better when there is a lot of tempo and it’s a little bit quieter.”

“He tends to stargaze when he hits the front so I knew I had to time my run, but he was flying and was probably doing his best work past the post.”

Race 7 - 4:22PM COCA COLA No Metro Wins Handicap (1400 METRES)

1^st – Plitvice – Robert Heathcote – Robbie Fradd

2^nd – Smart as Attack – Les Kelly – Adin Thompson

3^rd – Flying Machine – Selina Leef – Jake Bayliss

Trainer – Robert Heathcote

“He was on an operating table as a young horse and the vet told us he was that close to not making it, so it’s a fantastic story he’s been able to get back to the track.”

“I took him up to Rockhampton where he won well, didn’t handle the travel back home too well, but has picked himself up and won at Caloundra and now has a Saturday metro win to boot.”

“I had him in on Thursday at Doomben when we were rained out, it makes me look like a genius putting him in today.”

“That’s the type of ride you show at the apprentice school, wide gate no cover and Robbie found a way to get him in.”

“The team’s going really well it’s a credit to my staff at home we’re having fun at the moment.”

Jockey – Robbie Fradd

“I was expecting a twelve out of ten from Rob I think an eleven is selling me a bit short.”

“There was good speed and I was able to tuck him away mid field, it took him a while to hit the front but he was too good today.”

“Even though he’s winning I think you keep him in restricted grade for now and he’ll be in better company after a few more wins.”

Race 8 - 5:02PM MAKERS MARK QTIS Three-Years-Old Handicap (1200 METRES)

1^st – Master Jamie – Graeme Green – Jimmy Orman

2^nd – Baby Boomer – Tony Gollan – Matthew McGillivray

3^rd – Roasted – Robert Heathcote – Ron Stewart

Trainer – Graeme Green

“He’s a gutsy horse that’s all I can say pure guts today.”

“It’s like I said three weeks ago if he’s allowed to dictate, he’s just a bulldog he hates horses going past him, next start when he comes back to set weights, we might see a serious horse.”

“The handicapper has him at his max at the moment but in saying that he’s earnt it and we haven’t seen the best of him yet.”

“We had one offer from Singapore for $150,000 and I said add about four more zeros and we might have a deal.”

“He’s one of the cleanest winded horses I’ve had anything to do with, plus he’s one of the most laid back chilled out horses you’ll ever meet.”

Jockey – Jimmy Orman

“It was a good win very tough horse carrying 61 kilos, he just led on his ear and every time something comes near him, he just keeps kicking.”

“Brilliant effort from Graeme bringing him to town for consecutive wins now, so hopefully he will go well in the QTIS Jewel for him.”

“He’s so relaxed pinged the gates, dream to ride.”

Race 9 - 5:42PM ROKU GIN Class 6 Handicap (1200 METRES)

1st - Invincible Al - Tony Gollan - Baylee Nothdurft

2nd - Qiji Phoenix - Kacy Fogden - Michael Hellyer 

3rd - Dream Master - Toby & Trent Edmonds

Stable Foreman - Craig Cavanough

"He's a horse with plenty of talent but can be pretty hard to figure out, he hasn't been with us for long and we're just starting to see signs of what he did down south."

"He's far better ridden cold, with the tempo from Dream Master it really let him relax back in the field behind a strong speed and come into it at the right time."

"A lot of credit to our track work riders who've sorted his little issues out and hopefully this win kickstarts a good campaign."

Jockey - Baylee Nothdurft

"Craig told me he was a little bit of a difficult horse to ride, but things panned out well when they clapped on the speed he relaxed and found a good rhythm."

"I just wanted to get last crack at them in the straight and I was really impressed with his sprint."

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