Bernard Fayd’Herbe, won on Marinaresco: “I was a bit out of my ground early on but I managed to sneak up on the rail and I was in a winning position turning into the straight. I had to switch because I had horses in front of me but I had gears underneath me. It was close at the line, and I wasn’t sure I’d got up, but I still had quite a bit of horse.”

Aldo Domeyer, 4^th= on Krambambuli: “I knew he wasn’t going to outsprint them so I tried to get away a little bit and he was staying on. He did everything right for me but then they came and got me.”

Anthony Delpech, 4^th= on Nightingale: “Halfway up the straight I thought I was going to win and then the boys got to me but she ran a great race and she couldn’t have done any better.”

Richard Fourie, 6^th on Horizon: “I thought I had a chance when we opened up coming into the straight but it was still a great run.”

Grant van Niekerk, 7^th on Black Arthur: “I thought I had a perfect run but he just didn’t give it to me.”

Lyle Hewitson, 9^th on French Navy: “He lacks a bit of early speed so I ended up further back than I wanted and I had to go round them. But it was a courageous run.”

Weichong Marwing, 10th on Ten Gun Salute: “I got a little bit nudged and I couldn’t get out when I wanted to but I don’t think I would have won.”

Gavin Lerena, 12^th on Brazuca: “It was a very rough race, particularly in the first 400m.”

By Michael Clower