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Find out what the jockeys made of their mounts after the Group 3 $250,000 Keeneland Gimcrack Stakes (1000m) at Royal Randwick.

Chad Schofield (Bel Merci): “She’s very smart. She just helps herself, she’s got such a good brain on her for such a young, inexperienced horse. I just want to thank John Thompson.

“He’s been a great er of mine for a while and he said to me two months ago, ‘come and gallop a little filly, I think she’s quite smart’. He knew how good she was and she was just prepared and trained so well for today. She was bombproof and it made my job very easy.

“And that’s what she’s done all the way through. She’s very sensible and she’s very mature for a young horse. Yeah, she was just as she always is, very quiet, very tractable. I was never going to lead but I just wanted to make sure we stepped well, being her first start.

“And after we did that, I planned to let a couple lead me but I just had too much horse. I would have had to disappoint her and break her stride for them just to give me cover, so I just let her slide and kept her happy. She travelled super well, held onto her as long as I could and when I let her go she gave a lot. And she gave all she needed to. There was a fair bit left.

“She was very impressive. I thought she’d win but it was good to see her come and do that. She’s just impressed all the way through. Every gallop, every jumpout, her only trial she’s had, she’s impressed.

“She’s a very smart filly and well done to John and his team. They’ve educated her, brought her here today in a great frame of mind. She was very mature, very sensible and she knew what she was doing.”

Bel Merci wins the Gimcrack Stakes

Rachel King (O' Ole): “Super run. Had to do a bit of work from out wide. A smart filly.”

Kerrin McEvoy (Memo): “Lovely run by her. She will keep progressing as she gets older.”

Dylan Gibbons (Alabama Charm): “Just a bit too raw today. Tried to go flat out from the start and it told late.”

Molly Bourke (Autumn Blonde): “Still very green. Got a lot to learn but not a bad race.”

Tim Clark (Bellazaine): “She has done a really good job. Caught wide throughout but I thought her effort was great.”

Craig Williams (Fairy Steps): “She will improve greatly from her first race start.”

Amy McLucas (Luma Light): “She ran really well. I was happy with her. She just keeps improving. Got a bit of a squeeze early and pushed out of her spot. I was happy with how she hit the line.”

Josh Parr (Perle De Chocolat): “She is a lovely filly. Definitely on the rise.”

Jason Collett (Queen Of Clubs): “Performed well. Just needs a bit more time.”

Tommy Berry (Scrumptious): “She is a lovely filly. Ready to be here mentally but physically she’s a little bit week so next prep, when she strengthens, she is going to be OK.”

Adam Hyeronimus (Voting Rights): “Very nice filly. Dare say she will go out now for a spell. Once she strengthens up, she will be very nice.”

Tom Sherry (Tupakara): “She was very good. Brave at the top of the straight. Stretched out really well late.”

Winona Costin (Gail Jeanette): “She was good. Took her back in the field and she travelled nicely. Probably first off the bit but kept working to the line well.”

Check out the replays and results from TAB Epsom Day at Royal Randwick