Racing
Persian Spirit wins John Duff & Co VOBIS Gold Bullion: Post Race Trainer and Jockey Quotes
Trainer and jockey quotes after Persian Spirit claims the John Duff & Co VOBIS Gold Bullion at Pakenham on Saturday.
Race Result:1st: Persian Spirit (S Wilde/H Coffery) - $1.70 fav2nd: Run Harry Run (B, W & JD Hayes/B Allen) - $7
3rd: Regal Azmon (P Stokes/T Stockdale) - $31
Winning Time: 1:23.71 Last 600m: N/A
Margins: 1-1/4L x Half-Head
Pakenham Race 9 I Persian Spirit
Persian Spirit lifts the crowd to their feet at Pakenham @symonwilde's gelding continues to impress
Ch. 78/68, Foxtel 529, Kayo or via our app
REPLAYS: https://t.co/ZIa4a02wC0 pic.twitter.com/TxXSYXcPnE
— Racing.com (@Racing) December 13, 2025
Winning Trainer: Symon Wilde
Thoughts during race: "I thought, if the horse is right, he should be going very close. I knew that he would get a trouble free passage. He's really hit his straps this preparation and probably since he's got on top of the ground he's been able to show that electrifying turn of foot. Early in his career, he was just a good horse on wet ground and obviously good horses can cope with that sort of stuff. This is where he's really at his best. He was well found by Grand Syndicates to get a cheap little horse like this and they'll have a lot of fun."
From where he was in running: "He's got that great turn of foot. We saw it on Melbourne up Day. They ran it along and he bloused them and didn't get that amount of time at Caulfield last time. That's what he's been showing this campaign, an electrifying turn of foot and if he could do it over a mile, it could be very exciting to see what races we could aim him at and his rating would be at a point where we can now possibly travel him and look at better races."
Next: "There's the Kensington Stakes at Flemington and there's a mile race as well. I might have a chat to the guys and see what they're thinking, but we'll see how he pulls up. He's taking it all in his stride at the moment and he seems a happy, healthy little horse."
Winning Jockey: Harry Coffery
Early part of race: "I wanted to get cover so he could relax, because if he couldn't get cover, or send him the wrong message, he can over travel and take away his dynamic turn of foot away and I didn't get cover. Craig to my inside was doing a fair amount of jockeying. Everytime I went to go back, he would go back and if I went forward, he went forward with me. I just chanced the arm and stayed out there and got the horse into a rhythm and for a moment I thought I was going to squeeze in, but I might have caused interference. At the end of the day, I thought this is a big, beautiful track, he's the best horse and even though he wasn't as dynamic, or explosive, he got the job done because he was too good."
What are his best attributes: "He sits on the chewy a bit longer than you like and when he gets cover or speed on in his races, he relaxes and breaths really well and fills his lungs up and explodes off that. Today he was on it the whole way, almost like trackwork for him and then he's not as electric when you push the button. He still gave me a terrific feel and he still had a lot in hand, but when races are run to suit, which is exciting for the team, because if he does happen to get into better races, the speed will be on and if he can get down in the weights and have no weight, he'll be a live chance in some of them."
Mile races: "He could do it in those big handicaps where the speed is on, but personally I think he's just as good at 1200 (metres). I won't train and Symon has a fair trip back to Warrnambool to work that out, but next preparation if they want to decide to sprint him or do the mile, or both, he will be electric wherever they take him."
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