What the jockeys said after the Group One $1.5 million Victoria Derby at Flemington on Saturday.

Hugh Bowman (Polanski) 1st: "I started to get confident from about the 1200 to 1300 when the pace improved significantly. I was able to get him into a beautiful gait. When I sent him away, I was just waiting for something to run him down but he was galloping on and it was just impossible to beat him."

Kerrin McEvoy (Complacent) 2nd: "I got into a nice spot on the back of Savvy Nature but interference just past the 2000 (metres) put him in a terrible spot and he was lucky to stay on his feet. The horse did a fantastic job to run second."

Peter Robl (Thunder Fantasy) 3rd: "Ran terrific. He probably ran above expectations so it was a very good run."

Craig Williams (Criterion) 4th: "Ran a great race from his draw. We nearly sold out after we went around the back and I thought from then on he lost his rhythm and his momentum. He did a great job to pick up and run fourth."

Craig Newitt (Tupac Amaru) 5th: "I nearly got put over the fence around the 1700 (metres) by the eventual third horse and from then on I was just held up behind slow horses. Once he got out he charged to the line. It was a super run."

Damien Oliver (Drago) 6th: "He ran well. He probably just didn't see out the last bit but he ran a good race."

Glen Boss (Bring Something) 7th: "He was good. In the autumn, he'll be a nice horse."

Luke Nolen (Honey Steel's Gold) 8th: "This Derby probably came a bit soon for him."

Nicholas Hall (Surging Wave) 9th: "Needs to be ridden forward."

Dwayne Dunn (Famechon) 10th: "He'll come back two-stone lighter next preparation and I think he'll turn into a nice horse."

Chris Symons (Epic Saga) 11th: "He ran well. I got stuck behind a couple of nags on the turn and had no other option but to wait but he just one-batted once we did get out."

Steven Arnold (San Diego) 12th: "Pulled too hard."

Nash Rawiller (Pinstripe Lane) 13th: "He just felt flat today."

James McDonald (Savvy Nature) 14th: "Very disappointing."

Thomas Sadler (Throw The King) 15th: "He just never really travelled for me. I'm not too disappointed, I had a ride in the Derby."

Brett Prebble (Tips And Beers) 16th: "Pulled like a steam train."