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Find out what the jockeys made of their mounts after the $1 million The Hunter (1300m) at Newcastle.

Nash Rawiller (Vilana): “I’ve got a lot of confidence in the horse from what he showed me in previous rides. Unless you watch the steward’s replay you wouldn’t really know what he encountered in the Golden Eagle.

“Today he just used his natural speed to get across in a lovely spot and I knew he’d relax once he got there. It was just a matter of pushing the button.

“In The Congo is tough, it felt like we were going to beat it by a length but he just kept coming with me. But he’s got a lot of class my bloke, he’s on the way up.

“I reckon this track is better today than what he encountered there (in the Golden Eagle), it was very firm. I felt that the last 100m there the other day I couldn’t knock him around he was feeling down a bit. Today he really stretched out beautifully on this lovely track.”

Vilana win The Hunter

Tim Clark (In The Congo): "I thought I had it. I had a perfect run, he tried his heart out for me even when the winner came for me. He went again and he was incredibly brave."

Tyler Schiller (Gravina): "It was a great run, very grateful for the pick up (ride) and he ran a super race."

Jim Byrne (Apache Chase): "He was a little fidgety in the barrier but he bounced well and got across and got a nice park. In The Congo really started to pick up the tempo from the three (furlongs) but we were just beaten on the day."

Sam Clipperton (Ingratiating): "My horse just didn’t seem to put in today."

James McDonald (Skyman): "It was a good first-up run, he’ll improve."

Chad Schofield (Tycoonist): "We drew the widest gate and had to get a long way back because of it. He was just never in the hunt."

Regan Bayliss (Brutality): "He’s flying. I’m looking forward to The Gong next week."

Reece Jones (Lion’s Roar): "He’s happy to be back, they were just too zippy for him today."

Hugh Bowman (Gem Song): "Proud of his effort, the race was dominated by the leading bunch."

Ash Morgan (Aramayo): "Sam’s done a great job getting back to good form. When he steps up to a mile he should be competitive in a race like this for sure."

Jason Collett (Sky Lab): "A fantastic run, he was back and wide and finished well."

Zac Lloyd (Swats That): "Very unlucky, she’s racing very well."

Rachel King (Overpass): "He’s run okay from a very tough barrier."

Koby Jennings (Bandersnatch): "He was off the bit a long way out."

Check out the replays and results from The Hunter meeting at Newcastle