Tony Cruz was surprised that O'Reilly Rally didn't have the speed to cross and lead the field in the final event but very satisfied with the way the rising star put them away with a sizzling finish in the final 300 metres.
O'Reilly Rally, the shortest-priced favourite of the day at $16, could not go the early speed and jockey Brett Prebble was forced to consign Cruz's riding instructions to the rubbish bin in the first few strides. 'Tony asked me to lead, or if something else wanted to go, then sit close, but I knew after 50 metres that wouldn't be happening,' Prebble said later. 'So I went to Plan B, and that was to keep my cool - after all, I was riding the best horse in the race.
'He was three and four deep but very relaxed and switched off and once I took him to the outside, he really let down well. I think 1,200 metres is going to be too short for him next season and he'll probably want at least 1,400 and probably a mile.'
Cruz didn't have the slightest concern about Prebble adapting to a situation he hadn't anticipated - he expects top jockeys to do that - but says he learned something extra that will serve him well as he plans the future for O'Reilly Rally.
'When I'm training horses like this, they improve and as they do so, they can undergo change,' Cruz explained.
'This horse has the ability to quicken and I think next season, after the summer break, he'll be even better. I think he has the makings of a very nice horse and will be winning better races.'
