After a feature race double at Gosford’s standalone meeting last week, Kerrin McEvoy is targeting repeats at Scone, booked for rides in all six black-type races spanning the two-day carnival.
Victorious in Gosford’s $500,000 The Coast (1600m) on Athantos and Takeover Target Stakes (1100m) aboard King Of Roseau, McEvoy opens his stakes pursuits with War Eternal in the Listed Scone Cup (1600m) Friday.
Saturday sees him aboard the Lindsay Park two-year-old filly La Gitana for the Woodlands Stakes (1100m) and Our Kobison from Angela Davies in the Ortensia Stakes (1100m).
Our Kobison tallied six successes in his opening 10 races, piquing 2024 Everest slot holders’ interest, and while not in the feature, he ran second to Joliestar in the Show County Quality (1200m).
Form dipped late last season, but he was stronger resuming at Rosehill in April, just beaten by Point And Shoot, then fifth at Hawkesbury Gold Rush.
McEvoy’s prior four rides on the gelding yielded a win and three seconds, notably first-up this time, and he anticipates a solid reunion.
“I know Angela has been happy with him. I’m not sure what happened there second-up, but he was really good first-up when he was just nosed out,” McEvoy said.
“It wouldn’t surprise me to see him bounce back to being very competitive on the weekend. I haven’t had a good look at the race yet, but I know he’ll enjoy Scone and he’s going to be much closer to peak fitness third-up.”
La Gitana debuts in NSW with proven lines, having filled minor placings twice in Victorian black-type races.
Victorian runners dominated Sydney’s autumn juvenile majors, like Guest House in the Golden Slipper, and McEvoy is convinced the Hayes siblings rate La Gitana highly for Scone.
“You’ve got to think the Hayes’ boys have a good opinion of this filly to travel up here. They wouldn’t be wasting their time,” McEvoy said.
“She has drawn soft and, I think she can be a good ride for me on the card.
“I haven’t had a chance to look at her jump-out yet, but she’s got stakes form, so she’s got to be a chance up there.”
He fills out his stakes card with Casserousse in the Listed Denise’s Joy Stakes (1100m), Harlem Queen in the Dark Jewel Classic (1400m), and Captain Furai in the Luskin Star Stakes (1300m).
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