Jodi Quinlan reflects on a rollercoaster Victoria Cup result

Driver Jodi Quinlan has opened up on the rollercoaster ride she endured with Act Now (Somebeachsomewhere) before winning Saturday night’s Pryde’s EasiFeed Victoria Cup.

The lead-up to the race was anything but smooth sailing for the five-year-old pacer, who had to clear a vet’s examination before the start of the $300,000 Grand Circuit harness racing classic.

Act Now got his leg caught over a rail in the stalls early in the meeting, but was eventually passed fit to run by stewards in the moments before the race.

“I was on a rollercoaster in my own mind because when the horse kicked and appeared to hurt himself, it went from chocolates to boiled lollies because we didn’t think the horse would go around,” Quinlan said.

“I had a couple of hours to be thinking I might have to get changed and not even go around in a Victoria Cup, which was going to be heartbreaking. But as it turned out, it turned out okay.

“It was unfortunate what ended up happening in the stalls area, but Clayton (Tonkin) walked him, ran the water on his leg and kept him moving.

“He had to go around in the warm-up of the actual race to be passed fit to run.

“He went up on the track and neighed out to let everyone know he’s there.

“He travelled really nicely in the warm-up and got up on the bit. I did bowl him harder than I normally do with him, but I just wanted to make sure he was right.

“The moment I went up the end of the straight and turned in to go to the raceway, he felt enormous.”

From barrier 11, Act Now followed Hi Manameisjeff through the early stages of the race before coming with a sustained three-wide run in the final lap. In a grandstand finish, the son of Somebeachsomewhere poked his nose out to score over Catch A Wave and Leap To Fame.

“With the scratching of Captain Ravishing, that gave me the opportunity to track through Hi Manameisjeff. When you’re following a horse like that up you think that’s a great trail, but it didn’t turn out to be,” she explained.

“The horse (Hi Manameisjeff) got to the bend at the 400 to the 200 and he couldn’t get around the corner. He went really rough in front of me and I thought he was going to gallop.”

Quinlan was unaware she had won the race as she crossed the finishing line.

“I always try and listen to Dan (Mielicki), but I missed him call Act Now and I thought I heard him say Leap To Fame’s name,” she said.

“I wasn’t sure and Melton always favours the outside. I was just hoping that it favoured me at the time.

“I wasn’t sure if I had beaten Leap To Fame. I knew I had beaten Catch A Wave and I was unsure about Leap to Fame.

“I didn’t really know until I turned around and I heard them say Act Now.”

Quinlan said it was an “absolute honour” to add the Victoria Cup to a resume which includes a Miracle Mile in 2004 with Sokyola and over 2200 wins.

“At this stage of my life and career I’m winding down a lot now to what I used to do, so I really don’t have any expectations that I’m going to win this or I’m going to win that. I’m just happy to poke along and whatever happens, happens,” the 48-year-old said.

For complete race results, click here.

by Lachlan Mitchell, for Harness Racing Victoria