Trainer and jockey quotes after the Premier Signs Handicap at Caulfield on Saturday taken out by Don't Doubt Dory.
Race Result:
1st: Don't Doubt Dory (C Hefel/J Welsh) - $13
2nd: Independent Road (J McNeil/B, W & JD Hayes) - $4.20
3rd: Flash Feeling (C Williams/J Sadler) - $2.25 fav
Winning Time: 2:03.87 Last 600m: N/A
Margins: 1 length x 1 length
Never doubt him!
— Racing.com (@Racing) February 10, 2024
Don't Doubt Dory runs over the top of the two favourites in the opener at Caulfield @MelbRacingClub pic.twitter.com/BZiMxS4Yhb
Winning Trainer: Julien Welsh
Building fitness: "He had five months break and took a while to come back, he's like us when we get a bit older, he's got a bit round the midriff area so it's been a hell of a job getting it off him, watching him run the start before, I thought he's probably going to be looking good the next run over 2000 (metres) was probably going to shape up good."
"I was pretty confident today because he's a really hard horse to put a saddle on when he's right and today we had a hell of a time putting a saddle on him so going on that, I thought he was going to be hard to beat today."
During the run: "I said to her (Hefel), don't let that horse get too far away, he has got a better turn of foot than us but our horse was so well today, relished that tempo and from the 800 (metres) we just had a really good, easy time where he was and he was just waiting to pounce."
Wangaratta Cup Defence: "That was on the radar but we'll have to wait and see what weight we get in that now but our main goal is the Pakenham Cup this year, being a hometown boy there, I've been there for twenty five years now, it's going to be a hard race to win but I think the horse can run the 2500 (metres) and I think he's probably as good as he's even been. He's a rising eight year old and he had that setback after the Wangaratta Cup last year and he's just come back in form now so hopefully we can keep that form through to the Cup."
Winning Jockey: Carleen Hefel
How the race unfolded: "He was the first one out today and my original plan was to be outside Independent Road and I saw Flash Feeling circle there so I came back, we were just lucky enough to get the perfect run, me and Jules were joking about getting the one-one from barrier nine, I said "we'll try", I was just laughing when I got there, he was cruising perfectly. He took a bit to get around the corner but once he got near the others he rounded them up really well."
Set to peak: "Last run I said to Julien it was exactly like first up, he got there easy but he was just gone very early, he was a much bigger, grosser horse this time and even with his work he was having really good blow, last prep he wouldn't, he was very clean winded but his gallop before today was perfect, he really looked good, pretty confident coming here."
On the horse: "He's my first for everything, he's my first city winner as a senior so I can't thank the horse and Julien enough for trusting me still and it's really special."
