Prestar has emerged as a colt to watch for Tony and Calvin McEvoy after making a winning return at Randwick’s Kensington track, putting himself in contention for Sydney’s upcoming three-year-old carnival features.
The Zoustar youngster, starting $3.40, was too strong late in the Schweppes Handicap (1150m) on Wednesday, defeating odds-on favourite Johnny by half a length. It was his first run since placing on the Caloundra Cup undercard in July and has left the McEvoys debating whether to aim higher in Sydney.
Tony McEvoy said the colt had always looked above average and confirmed they see him as a stakes-level prospect.
“Really impressive young horse. A horse we’ve got a lot of time for,” Tony McEvoy said.
“He is still working it all out and I thought he was fantastic today.
“I think he is a black-type horse. After his maiden I went straight to black-type and I asked him to do something that he couldn’t do. He just got it all wrong and he didn’t have the experience and you get exposed pretty quickly at Listed level.
“I’ll talk to (jockey) Ash (Morgan) to see where he thinks he’ll fit and whether we stay and run in another stakes race here like a Run To The Rose or whether we should be running a bit lower than that.”
Morgan, fresh from his breakthrough Group 1 triumph on Private Harry in the Galaxy (1100m), has been eager to stay on board Prestar after guiding him at the Sunshine Coast earlier in the year.
“I loved him when I rode him at the ‘Sunny’ Coast and I was filthy I got beaten,” Morgan said.
“He crabbed a little around the turn (at Kensington) but when he balanced up he let rip. I was really surprised to see one near me because I feel like I really let go of him to put the race to bed.
“If he can hold that turn of foot over a longer trip he is a very good horse.”
The Ciaron Maher-trained Siriusly Hot also caught the eye, winning his first race as a gelding in strong fashion. Priced at $16, he stormed home in the other three-year-old event on the program, with jockey Chad Schofield full of praise.
“The way he quickened at the top of the straight, that’s why I could pick anywhere to go because I had so much horse underneath me. He was a class above,” Schofield said.
Siriusly Hot had five starts as a two-year-old, including a placing behind Vinrock, the eventual ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner.
Those keen to back Prestar if he lines up in the Run To The Rose or another carnival race can compare odds and bonuses across leading betting sites.
