‘Tough’ Tralee in fight to finish
HE might have been lacking confidence a furlong out from the finishing post but winning jockey Dean Holland could not have been happier with the final result on Tralee Rose in Wednesday’s Group 3 Geelong Cup.
Holland rode the star mare like the best horse in the race and, despite a challenge from Dr Drill down the straight, she responded and fought on to all but cement her place in this year’s Melbourne Cup.
“I am rapt. It is just good to get an opportunity on a horse like this,” the jockey said postrace. “We missed the other day (in the Bart Cummings Stakes) but she was ultra tough today. She was the best horse in the race.
“To be honest, I thought I was beat at the 200 (metre mark) but she was tough.
“Dr Drill probably put a head on me and in the end I was always going to draw away.
“It was a really good effort and (I am) really, really looking forward to riding her in the Cup.”
Holland had never previously won a Geelong Cup and with only one Group 1 victory to his name will be eyeing off a similar performance in the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday in November.
He said Tralee Rose had shown positive signs for that race after showing her smarts during the 2400m run at Geelong.
“I didn’t want to be boxed in, I wanted to be one-one, to be honest. There was too much pressure out wide and sometimes you’re better off letting the race unfold rather than bumping into each other to hold a one-off spot,” Holland said.
“As a result she was able to travel smooth and when the leader rolled off the fence down the back there and it was my opportunity to take the rails run and wind her up.
“It was a really good effort. The hardest part of my job is pulling her up, and that’s a good sign going into the Melbourne Cup.”
TO BE HONEST, I THOUGHT I WAS BEAT AT THE 200 (METRE MARK) BUT SHE WAS TOUGH.”
JOCKEY DEAN HOLLAND