Racing
Litzdeel wins Australian Heritage Cup: Post Race Trainer and Jockey Quotes
Trainer and jockey quotes after Litzdeel takes out the Australian Heritage Cup at Flemington on Tuesday.
Race Result:1st: Litzdeel (D O'Brien/C Williams) - $5.002nd: Don Diego De Vega (A Neasham & R Archibald/M Dee) - $6.00
3rd: Farag (A Purcell/L Meech) - $101
Winning Time: 2:58.26 Last 600m: N/A
Margins: 3½L x 2½L
Heritage hero
LITZDEEL powers home to take out the Australian Heritage Cup in style for @CWilliamsJockey and @DOBrienRacing.
@wwos | #MelbCupCarnival pic.twitter.com/BiSUi8W5fk
— Victoria Racing Club (@FlemingtonVRC) November 4, 2025
Winning Trainer: Danny O'Brien
"It has been a target race for her all spring. She was just beaten here as a three-year-old in the St Leger, and she's turned up and done a great job today.
"It was eight lengths back to third in that St Leger but she's made good progress over the last six months.
"When she got that position in running at the half-mile we thought she'd be very hard to beat.
"Once she got that position and switched off, it was always going to be a big finish.
"Once she tracked into it she was always going to let down well. She's a talented young staying filly and a half-sister to Vow And Declare who won the Melbourne Cup.
"So she can mature over the next twelve months and next spring, we'll see how we go for better staying races.
"The owners bred Vow And Declare and they bred and kept this filly. They've had a fantastic time with the broodmare Geblitz who unfortunately passed away.
"It is a tough one for the four-year-old mares to go right to the deep end and we made the decision early to give her a good spring where she can keep building on the progress she'd made in the autumn.
"Hopefully we can build a base for next spring and aim a bit higher."
Winning Jockey: Craig Williams
On Melbourne Cup day: "It's great to be here. I remember when I walked out here on Derby Day with you (Billy Slater), usually I'm Brad Pitt. But when you're here, I've become Arn Pitt, so it's good you're supporting our amazing industry."
"It's great having all the people turn out. We love our industry. The stars of the show are these horses, and have a look how well they're cared for. She just ran over a long distance, worked pretty hard, and look at her recovery. It's great, she might have to get the hot and cold showers that you told me to do."
Related to Vow And Declare: "She's a ripper. She's good, tough. I guess the ownership, the breeding— she's related to Vow And Declare, great memories on this day going back to 2019."
"Danny O'Brien, all his team prepared her really well. I got the right sit on her today, and she gave me a beautiful ride, and it's great to win here on Melbourne Cup Day in front of this great crowd, with Melbourne showing the weather it can usually do in the spring.
This horse: "Lucky for me I got on at the right time and the right race. I usually don't ride in this race but Danny said we could win the race so I had the right horse and the right people behind me.
"She stays really well, she covers ground well. There's nothing of her and she still feels like if they can get her to do things a bit better, there's so much more to add to her.
"She's quite highly strung but Danny and his team have done a great job managing her. If they can get her go mature and do things better then she's going to be even more exciting."
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