Doncaster Mile 2025 – What the jockeys said

Read what the jockeys made of their mounts after the Group 1 $4,000,000 Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick.

Jason Collett (Stefi Magnetica): “I’m kind of shocked, to be honest. I was in front at the line and was like, ‘holy hell, sh** I’ve just won.

“I don’t know, I was just trying to get her comfortable. Most of that race they went a very slow tempo but I was in the right spot and her turn of foot was electric.

“She looks awful in the yard, we’ve got to be frank here. She did come on a lot from that last start performance and I liked her gallop better on the Tuesday. I didn’t bolt as quick, it was a bit more of a sustained bolt, but she’s unbelievable.

“Bjorn just said, ‘get to the fence, but not like you did in the Slipper’. Sorry, I’m just a bit taken aback.”

Tim Clark (Royal Patronage): “Huge performance. Wide early and wasn’t able to get in behind one. Had to race outside the leaders. Went down fighting. Great effort.”

Reece Jones (Encap): “He was tremendous wasn’t he. Just wish I could have held that one spot closer. Couldn’t get there comfortably. Showed a tremendous turn of foot to just miss. Going really well especially on a four day turn around.”

Jamie Melham (Another Wil): “He was good. OK without being brilliant. Maybe the All Star Mile run took a bit of confidence out of him which it should have. Hopefully today he has gotten around in one piece. Hope it gives him confidence.”

Tommy Berry (Gringotts): “I just think the two weeks between runs. It is easy in hindsight. He travelled really well like the winner but didn’t let down the same. Might have peaked a couple of weeks ago.”

Ben Melham (Tom Kitten): “He ran well. He just got a little aggressive with the lack of tempo.”

Damian Lane (Geoglyph): “Missed the jump and then got too far back. Never got into it.”

Blake Shinn (Pericles): “Very gallant. He ran fifth. He was brave right until the end. Can’t fault him.”

Chad Schofield (Militarize): “Terrific return to form. He was really good there.”

Michael Dee (Anisette): “Just struggled from a bad gate. Couldn’t finish.”

Zac Purton (Moira): “She got a little bit lost prior to straightening. Lost her rhythm. She will be fine. Just needs time to settle.”

Daniel Moor (Just Folk): “He needs wetter ground to perform against this class of horse.”

Kerrin McEvoy (Kovalica): “He ran a respectable race. Just out-sprinted when they dashed for home.”

Craig Williams (Port Lockroy): “Acquitted himself really well. A competitive lot, got onto the back of the second horse and followed by Another Wil and wasn’t beaten far. Creditable run but they are good horses.”

Andrea Atzeni (Al Mubhir): “We had a good trip from a good draw but the pace was too slow. Pulled too hard and more juice in the ground as well.”

Dylan Gibbons (New Energy): “They wanted me to play it safe to get him to settle. They absolutely crawled so a waste of a run.”

Ashley Morgan (Iowna Merc): “I thought his run was really good. Bad barrier didn’t allow us to ride him to his strength. Drew a nice gate would have run a race.”

Jay Ford (Firestorm): “Struggled. Not as dynamic as her previous runs. Tried to hold a position early but couldn’t muster enough. Once I got to the outside, looking for her booming finish. Only grinded to the line.”

Zac Lloyd (Linebacker): “He has gone enormous. Probably the best horse in the race. Just never executed. He didn’t begin. It put us right at the back. Gee he felt good. Never seen a horse look so good and not win a race. Tried his hardest.”

Tyler Schiller (Rise At Dawn): “Super gutsy effort. I thought he got it cheap enough but when we started to roll I thought he was going to get out-dashed. To his credit from the 200m he fought back again and hasn’t been beaten far at all.”