Melbourne Cup jockey comments

Verry Elleegant (First): "I was very confident in the mare today. Thoughts went through my mind at the 500m when I saw Incentivise getting shoved along but I knew he would fight. There wasn't a horse that was going to come from behind me, it was just a matter of catching him."- James McDonald

Incentivise (Second): "Courageous effort. His first time to this trip and it took a champion to beat him." - Brett Prebble

Spanish Mission (Third): "Couldn't have been any more impressed with his gallant performance. I had the option of being one horse in for the entire race but I decided to be on the back of Grand Promenade, I thought it would take me nicely into the race and we did. But when Verry Elleegant came around me, she was towing. My horse did a really good job and was fighting it out for second. Great job by Andrew Balding and his team for the planning and what a gallant warrior to go to battle with. Thanks for the opportunity."- Craig Williams

Floating Artist (Fourth): "Super run. Every time we've raised the bar with this horse. He measures up and landed in a beautiful spot out of the gates. We followed Incentivise and he travelled so strong the whole way. I thought at the top of the straight that he gave a lovely kick for me and he's run a very good fourth. I've very happy with him."- Teo Nugent

The Chosen One (Fifth): "Really proud of this horse. He's run a massive race. Trained to the minute and ran his best."- Damian Lane

Grand Promenade (Sixth): "He's run a good race. We didn't have any luck. Got caught wide the trip but he stuck on well." - Kerrin McEvoy

Delphi (Seventh): "He ran well. We had a great run. He feels like more of a mile-and-a-half horse than a two-miler to me."- Damien Oliver

Selino (Eighth): "Just a little further back than I would have wanted to be. Just couldn't find the right horse to take me into the race. Overall I thought it was a good staying effort." - Ron Stewart

Tralee Rose (Ninth): "She had a really nice run. She toughed it out but she's probably not sharp enough when you need her."- Dean Holland

She's Ideel (Tenth): "She ran well again."- Craig Newitt

Twilight Payment (11th): "He wasn't able to get into his usual role and at the halfway point he really struggled."- Jye McNeil

Miami Bound (12th): "She wouldn't go in the first 1000 metres. If she had've jumped and travelled she might have run top eight. She whacked away and got the ones that were tiring."- Patrick Moloney

Great House (13th): "Had a good run. I could feel he was coming under pressure about the 600 or 700 (metre mark). He was gone by then but he tried really hard all the way to the line. Expected a little bit better but he tried hard today."- Michael Dee

Sir Lucan (14th): "He's a juvenile. I had no power from the 1000 metre mark." - Glen Boss

Explosive Jack (15th): "He was disappointing. He whacked away, but he's missing a bit of scrap."- John Allen

Master of Wine (16th): "Nice."- Fred Kersley

Pondus (17th): "Just raced a bit dour and couldn't sprint off that speed."- Rachel King

Carif (18th): "It was a good effort. Got in a nice position. He travelled well. Just the class factor when they quickened up, he was under pressure."- Blaike McDougall

Knights Order (19th): "He's just not going anywhere at the moment."- Daniel Stackhouse

Persan (20th): "I didn't think he would lead but he was sort of out at the 600 (metre mark)."- Luke Currie

Port Guillaume (21st): "He didn't run out a strong 3200 metres in a strong pressure race."- Harry Coffey

Johnny Get Angry (22nd): "He'll go out for a spell and then assess the options after he comes back."- Lachlan King

Ocean Billy (Last): "Disappointing."- Damien Thornton