Newcastle preview: McEvoy aims to complete ‘box set’ on Cup Day
Champion jockey Kerrin McEvoy aims to complete his Newcastle Cup Day collection by adding a so far elusive Tibbie Plate to the mantelpiece.
McEvoy, a three times Everest and Melbourne Cup winner, has also won the Newcastle Cup three times together with two Cameron Handicaps but no Tibbie Stakes.
McEvoy has rides in all three of the Club’s features on Friday including Banana Queen in the 18th renewal of the Tibbie Stakes (1400m).
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“She is obviously searching for a little bit of black-type and it looks a nice race for her,” McEvoy said.
“She needs a bit of pace on in her races so that will be important, hopefully we can get that. We’ve drawn a nice marble there and she’ll be ready to run well if things go her way.
“I haven’t ridden her a lot lately but having seen a bit of her, I think 1400m is perfect.”
McEvoy’s prospects of a fourth Newcastle Cup (2300m) win rely on the Chris Waller-trained Wineglass Bay who broke a sequence of two straight seconds to score a narrow but determined win at Rosehill on August 26.
“He hasn’t been out of the ‘one’ ‘two’ this preparation so he is in good form,” McEvoy said.
“He has only won up to 2000m but I think everything points to him enjoying going to a little bit further so it is a good option for him to try his hand in the Newcastle Cup down on the minimum.”
Waller and McEvoy combine forces in the Hunter Valley Premier T-Bone Steaks Class 1 & Maiden Plate (1850m).
A son of Cox Plate winner Adelaide, Yet He Moves, is perfectly tuned for the step up to a longer trip after his authoritative win on a Gosford mile maiden last month.
“It wasn’t much of a race that he won but I like the style that he did it in,” McEvoy said.
“He impressed me from his first run back to that run so there is improvement in him again and no reason why 1850m going to be a hindrance.”
A wide draw is all that stands in the way of a first win for the blue-blooded colt Side Show who lines-up in the Rarity Wholesale Maiden Handicap (1400m).
The Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained colt is a son of their former star colt Trapeze Artist and a grandson of Blue Diamond and Australian Stakes winner, Lady Jakeo.
“He ran well the other day behind a Godolphin horse (Fortress Australia) that is quite smart,” McEvoy said.
“He got hindered at the top of the lane and lost a bit of momentum. I think this is a nice race for him. It looks to have a bit of a tail to it, other than Koning and maybe Mickey’s Medal.
“He goes there with a nice chance.’
McEvoy is naturally eager to main his unbeaten record aboard the Epsom-bound inaugural The Coast winner, Palmetto, when he takes part in the Cameron Handicap.
OUTLANDOS OUT TO CAUSE A BOILOVER IN NEWCASTLE CUP
Trainer John Sargent has his eyes on an upset win in the Newcastle Cup with underrated stayer Outlandos while furthering the Epsom prospects of The Coast winner Palmetto via the Cameron Handicap.
Throw in potential VRC Derby candidate Glad You Think So on the undercard and Friday shapes as a pivotal milestone marker for a handful of Sargent’s spring battalion.
Cup candidate Outlandos went up $126 when TAB Fixed Odds were released in what was yet another stark example of his price not reflecting his performances.
Runner-up in the Grafton Cup immediately after his Stayers Cup win, Outlandos finished an honourable eighth in a deep Benchmark 94 over the Randwick 1600m 13-days ago.
“He had a bit of a let-up and that’s why he went back to a mile,” Sargent explained.
“He is fit and hard, he’s a real stayer, and a lightweight chance in obviously a good field.
“The big track at Newcastle should suit him so I think he will run a nice cheeky race.
“He’ll go there and then we will probably aim for the St Leger, that’ll be a nice race for him.”
Palmetto, meanwhile, can add the Cameron to The Coast on his C.V and join an honour roll of past winners of the Newcastle feature such as Luskin Star, Hartshill, Martello Towers and the beloved coalfields ‘pony’ Adam.
Palmetto, a son of New Zealand-based stallion and Todman Stakes winner Ghibellines, raced handy before fading over the concluding stages, albeit beaten only two lengths, in a very fast run Tramway Handicap at Randwick on September 2.
“He probably needed that run,” Sargent said. “But that will top him off. He will be at his peak for the Cameron and after this, obviously you go in with a lightweight and run in the Epsom.
“But we will have to win this first.
“He had good form in New Zealand but it took him a while to hit form coming over here but he’s settled in now and he is in great form.
“Kerrin (McEvoy) knows him and I imagine he’ll be up there in the first three or four from that draw.”
Sargent, an acknowledged peerless conditioner of classic horses, has a rolled-gold Derby prospect heading north on Friday namely Glad You Think So.
“He’ll stay all day,” Sargent said.
“I hope they run a long a bit and he can get a bit of cover and finish off.”
