By Mike Dillon
If you had not already noticed, Colin Jillings is more relaxed these days.
Perhaps it is the fact that he has three Auckland Cups already in the bag.
But the 67-year-old that everyone regards as New Zealand's finest trainer of a horse for a major race, was in reflective mood after Irish Chance came from last to out-grit yesterday's $350,000 Blue Star Auckland Cup opposition.
"We set a plan to try and win this after he broke the 2400m track recorded here at Ellerslie last Easter," said Jillings.
Jillings knows Yeman (1956), Stipulate (63) and Perhaps (76) beat better fields than yesterday's, but the moment was still very precious for him.
"I've been lucky to have had Patrick Hogan as an owner for a long time," he said.
"I was lucky enough to win a Railway with Diamond Lover for him."
Despite Jillings' tough exterior, emotion is very rarely far from his heart.
His voice started to crack as he said: "I rate Patrick as a close friend and that's the greatest thing for me about this win."
Hogan might have had a lot of success, but the Irish came out in him cheering Irish Chance to victory standing outside the Press Room window.
If you like demonstrative winners, this was your moment.
"I got very excited," he said as if he needed to explain.
"Early in the run home I lost sight of Irish Chance and figured he must have been out of it and I saw Crimson by [Zabeel] on the outside of the field and started cheering for her thinking that she was our only result.
"Then suddenly I saw Irish Chance dashing at them."
Hogan was as pleased for his mate, the late Sir Tristram as for himself.
"That makes his world record for group one wins stand at 44. Mr Prospector has been threatening him at 42 wins for a while so this gives him something of a buffer.
"I hope he sires a few more group one winners yet."
Shan's Beau looked certain to cause a mild upset when he dashed clear at the 150m, but Irish Chance and Noel Harris burst at him wide on the track inside the 120m and refused to be held out.
Harris, fitting in for the occasion, claimed he had been having an Irish week.
"I won here on Maybe Irish earlier in the meeting, found myself drinking in O'Reilly's Bar at Matamata during the week and this was the perfect end to the Irish week."
There were simply no excuses for the others, save perhaps Mulqueen, who was forced to sit three wide with cover at the back of the field for almost the entire race.
But you could make the case it did not change the result.
Damien Oliver claimed well fancied Crimson did not see out the 3200m.
"Her run probably ended at the 200m, but it was definitely an improved run on her Queen Elizabeth Handicap performance.
"The first two cleared right out on the others and she was not much more than a length from the third horse."
Oliver copped a four-day riding suspension for his performance on Dantelah in the Railway.
"Every chance," claimed Opie Bosson of favourite Dannevegas.
Emerald (sixth) was a bit squeezed for room at a crucial stage, according to rider Mark Sweeney, but he added he felt the mare had her chance.
Australian stayer Cheviot was pulled up, his rider Cameron Swan believing he may have swallowed his tongue.
Look out for the Prince
If you were looking for next year's Auckland Cup winner at Ellerslie yesterday you stopped immediately after Prince Phoenix's dashing win.
And he is already halfway to winning a major group one cup, he races in the same ownership as 1996 Melbourne Cup winner Saintly.
You will not have to convince trainer Donna Logan that Prince Phoenix can win a race like the Auckland Cup.
"I identified this horse as a coming topliner back before he raced as a 2-year-old," said Logan after Prince Phoenix produced a finishing sprint that may not have been out of place in the Railway Handicap 40 minutes later.
"I put Lance O'Sullivan on him in his juvenile debut to get an opinion of him and he agreed with what I thought, that he was a Derby horse.
"I turned him out to develop and, unfortunately, he was taken off me."
The owner's New Zealand agent made the decision to transfer Prince Phoenix to the Laurie Laxon stable.
"It was felt Laurie had a record as a Derby trainer and I didn't," said Logan.
Prince Phoenix hurt himself at Laxon's and Logan was only too happy to have him back when asked.
"I really rate him," she said.
Horse Racing: Emotional Cup victory for old friends
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