'I came here just trying to ride a few winners' - Irish rider bags first Group 1

Irish jockey Robbie Dolan was reduced to tears of joy post-race after Profondo gave him his first Group 1 victory in the Group 1 Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.

"I came here five years ago with a school bag on my back, just trying to ride a few winners," the 25-year-old jockey said, struggling for words after his first top-level success since moving to Australia in 2016.

"Thanks to the owners for keeping me on the horse today because they could have put anyone on him. He's a machine, he should have won the last day, I'll take all the badness with that.

"I pulled the stick though, I panicked a little bit. For the owners to keep me on him today is a token of how nice a people they are. They deserve that as well. He's a tricky horse to ride, it probably played into my hands of why I kept the ride on him today.

"Richard [Litt, trainer] has done an amazing job with the horse, to get him to win a Group 1 in his first couple of starts is insane. I was absolutely cruising at the 400 metres going past a Group 1 winner and nothing was catching me."

Deep pockets were needed to buy the Deep Impact colt for $1.9 million as a yearling but after just three starts, the faith of owner Ottavio Galletta has been handsomely repaid.

"He's left me speechless," winning trainer Litt said, with his astute management of Profondo coming hot on the heels of dual-Group 1 winner Castelvecchio.

"We've had a wonderful two weeks with him. He was relaxed today and the world is his oyster. It's scary. We're very excited."

Castelvecchio was runner-up in the 2019 Spring Champion before finishing second to Lys Gracieux in the Cox Plate but that temptation will be resisted with Profondo who, unlike Castelvecchio, didn't race as a two-year-old.

"He will go to the paddock now I think," Litt said. "He will have a nice spell and we are going to have a big attack come the autumn. He's got some amazing races coming up. He's very exciting."

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