Group One win makes long trip worth while

IT MADE for a long weekend, but the exhausting road trip has been well worth it for Russell Jack and Zac Phillips.

Making the trek from their Victorian bases to Bathurst for tonight’s Finals the duo are heading home with another Group One to their names.

For trainer Jack it is a 14-hour return journey, while Phillips will spend close to 16 hours in the car.

Thanks to Just Hope’s triumph in the Gold Tiara the expedition was “well worth it.”

“It’s a long drive from Lemnos, but it’s been well worth it,” Jack said. “It took a touch over seven hours to get here and will take that long to get home.

“I’ll be staying at Amanda’s (Turnbull) place tonight and heading home tomorrow.

“Given the result in the Tiara the drive home won’t seem so bad.”

Beginning quickly to lead from barrier two, Just Hope was never challenged as she cruised to an impressive 16-metre win from her stablemate Captains Queen.

Silk Cloud was a metre away third.

Rating 1:54.1 over 1730 metres, the two-year-old took her record to two wins and a second from three starts.

“I was pretty confident with her especially from the draw,” Jack said. “After she led I felt it was all over, it was just a matter of how far.

“She is fast and seems to be very strong as well…she can maintain her speed.

“I always thought she is just a little better than Captains Queen, which is a very nice filly in her own right.

“I’ll give a week off now then see what is around for her.”