Racing
Apocalyptic wins Group 2 TAB Furious Stakes: Post Race Trainer and Jockey Quotes
Trainer and jockey quotes following the Group 2 TAB Furious Stakes won by Apocalyptic at Randwick on Saturday.
Race Result:1st: Apocalyptic (M Freedman/T Berry) - $52nd: Tupakara (A & R Archibald/J McDonald) - $12
3rd: Savvy Hallie (B Widdup/J Ford) - $2.90F
Winning Time: 1:09.92 Last 600m: 34.91
Margins: ½Neck x Long Neck
Apocalyptic ends them!
She bursts through the centre in the G2 TAB Furious Stakes for her maiden win first up! @TommyBerry21 @MFreedmanRacing @MyRacehorseAU @aus_turf_club pic.twitter.com/KPHtRNYgc5
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 6, 2025
Winning Trainer: Michael Freedman
On running here: "I was hoping I didn't end up with egg on my face running a maiden. She has been showing both Tommy and I at home quite a bit. I was just hoping she would come and put in a good performance and give me some encouragement going to the Tea Rose. Obviously to come away with a win is really special."
"I was really dejected when we had to pull up stumps in the autumn because I thought she could be our genuine Slipper contender.
"But it wasn't to be and it might have been a blessing in disguise because she went back out and had a really nice, long spell. There is a lot of her and she's still furnishing. I'm excited about what we've got and what will be to come, even in the Autumn."
Problem in the Autumn: "She had a let-up after she ran second here. She got quite a nasty foot abscess in her hind foot and it just took forever. Some of those foot abscesses can linger and I've just found with two-year-olds in the autumn, if you get on the back foot it's very hard to gt back on the train. I made the decision to stop, give her a good spell and see what we've got in the spring."
"She is such a big relaxed girl in her racing she has always given me and Tommy the indication she's going to love getting out over those longer trips."
On the future: "Today was a stepping stone towards that so hopefully she pulls up well and she's in good form and good order and we'll com back to the Tea Rose."
"It has been unconventional but I've got a lot of faith in what I've seen from her at home."
"I thought she was our No. 1 seed for the Slipper. It might have been a blessing she went back out and has started to furnish now."
Winning Jockey: Tommy Berry
Thoughts on Apocalyptic: "I just know Michael has got a big smile on his face right now. He kept going on all week about how we were running a maiden in a race like this. It shows what we've thought of her for a very long time. We thought she was our [Golden] Slipper filly but we kept running into issue after issue with her."
"She's come back in this preparation and knock on wood, hasn't skipped a beat. She's been trialling on these heavy tracks and hasn't liked them but still trying up against some proper Group 1 horses. It's hard not to get excited about fillies like this.
On Apocalyptic returning to the races for the spring: "She is very raw, she was a bit gassy in the run. She hasn't been to the races for a while"
"We said to the owners beforehand, no matter what happens today, 1400m to a mile is where we believe she is best suited. I had to rush her a bit today. You'll see her legs were a bit all over the place."
Looking ahead: "I can't wait to see what heights she gets to. She's going to be one of their better ones."
Beaten Jockeys:
Jason Collett (Within The Law): "Really good run. Just had to go back from the gate. Last 100 was really good."
James McDonald (Tupakara): "Delighted with her. She ran out of her skin. Gave her all now up in distance."
Jay Ford (Savvy Hallie): "Really good. Genuine and ran a terrific race."
Kerrin McEvoy (Memo): "She actually ran well. We weren't helped right when they pushed the button and she missed the start. She can just improve off that fitness wise. With better behaviour in the gates, she will be around the mark."
Ashley Morgan (Spicy Lu): "Considering she is a ten furlong horse this prep, it was a good run."
Adam Hyeronimus (Stardom): "I think she was OK. 1200m might be a bit beyond her at the moment. Needs to strengthen up."
Rachel King (Agarwood): "She got it pretty comfortable I thought early. Got into a nice rhythm. Just didn't finish off today."
Ethan Brown (Kujenga): "Good run. She has come back well. She just peaked on her run late."
Alysha Collett (Open Secret): "Lovely run looking for further."
Zac Lloyd (Karinska): "She was fantastic. Back to 1200m wasn't obviously ideal for her but I thought she acquitted herself really well. Will only be better suited over further."
Chad Schofield (Next Jen): "Very good run. She found it a little bit short. Got stuck behind the wrong horse. Found the line well. A live player in the next two legs."
Molly Bourke (Wootton Lass): "She is still learning. Probably still six months away."
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