Australian Oaks winner Bonneval made a terrific return to racing with her win in Saturday's Group II Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley.
Bonneval ($7 - $5) swept around the field to score by a neck from Abbey Marie($12) while Rhythm To Spare ($16) was four lengths away in third spot.
Star Exhibit's ($4.40) rider Mark Zahra was dislodged when the Darren Weir-trained galloper leapt into the air when the gates opened before the gelding went around riderless.
Below is what the jockeys had to say about the performances of their Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes mounts.
|
PLACING |
RUNNER |
JOCKEY |
COMMENT |
|
1st |
BONNEVAL |
DAMIAN LANE |
She'll improve off that run too. She has still got her New Zealand winter coat on her. She'll benefit fitness-wise and it just shows how good the win was. |
|
2nd |
ABBEY MARIE |
LUKE NOLEN |
She was terrific. She travelled into it nicely and I thought I probably had the winner at one stage and she has probably just peaked a little bit late. She's got improvement to come so that's really exciting from our standpoint. |
|
3rd |
RHYTHM TO SPARE |
PATRICK MOLONEY |
I thought he ran fantastic. If he gets into a handicap with 52kg he'd be a real threat in the vein of form that he's in. He has acquitted himself quite well. |
|
4th |
JACQUINOT BAY |
REGAN BAYLISS |
It was an honest run and he passed the million-dollar mark after that run. I was pleased with the effort. |
|
5th |
ARTICUS |
CRAIG WILLIAMS |
I felt in today's conditions at weight-for-age, he was very one-paced. He'll step up in trip and he will improve with today's run. |
|
6th |
HE'S OUR ROKKII |
DWAYNE DUNN |
It was a messy race and we probably didn't expect to be the leader. We didn't really want something in front of us that we didn't really like and then we started to back them up and the empty (riderless) horse turned up and it disrupted the race. Forget he has gone around. |
|
7th |
LIZZIE L'AMOUR |
DAMIEN OLIVER |
There is something not right with her because she was working as well as, if not better than, the winner. She was under pressure pretty early and didn't respond. She really didn't hit the line well at all. We'll see what the vet check shows up. |
|
8th |
SIR ISAAC NEWTON |
LUKE CURRIE |
He came into the race down the side but he wouldn't have gone 50 yards after that. |
|
TOOK NO PART |
STAR EXHIBIT |
MARK ZAHRA |
As soon as the gates opened, he just flipped over. He stood there as quiet as a lamb. When they let them open, he just reared up and there was nothing anyone could do about it. |
