Kerrin McEvoy will bid for a clean sweep in the $2 million The Invitation when he links with talented mare Espiona for the first time at Randwick.
McEvoy has won both editions of the rich feature, capturing the inaugural running aboard Icebath in 2021 before backing it up with victory on Promise Of Success last year.
Espiona heads to Saturday’s 1400 metre feature off the back of a solid seventh to Think About It in The Everest (1200m) when she struggled to find clear galloping room until inside the final 200m.
Waller’s racing manager Charlie Duckworth expects her to appreciate the drop back to fillies and mares’ grade and says while Saturday’s ‘pop-up’ race doesn’t have black-type status, the prizemoney purse is hard to ignore.
The Invitation carries the same monetary value as the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley, a race which also came under consideration for Espiona after her luckless Everest run.
“She never really got any luck in running in The Everest,” Duckworth said.
“It’s going to be a slightly easier race going against fillies and mares and it’s a privilege to be invited to these races, they’re massive prizemoney.
“Fillies like her, because she has got the luxury of already being a Group One winner, she can bypass the Manikato and go there and still pick up a massive amount of prizemoney.”
Espiona was well beaten in The Invitation last year, but it was held on an unsuitable soft track and she wasn’t going as well at the time.
This spring she has finished an eye-catching first-up second to Sunshine In Paris in the Sheraco Stakes (1200m) and won the Golden Pendant (1400m), along with her solid Everest effort.
She is also somewhat of a distance specialist with four of her six career wins coming over 1400 metres.
Espiona will be joined in the race by stablemates Roots and Olentia.
Olentia needs to lift on her last start unplaced effort in the Alan Brown Stakes when she never threatened after getting back from an awkward draw, while Roots arrives second-up after flashing home for fifth to Cepheus in the same race.
The latter has continued to please the team and jockey Tommy Berry regards her as a genuine winning chance from her low draw in four.
“She’s as honest as they come,” Berry said.
“She has drawn well, which she needs to, and a couple of the main dangers have drawn out wide.
“Where horses likes Espiona can do things wrong and it can be costly for her at times, Roots is the complete opposite.
“She is just an angel, she gives her all and with the right run she can win a race like that on the weekend.”