Just one week following his feature race double at the standalone Gosford event, rider Kerrin McEvoy aims to replicate that success at Scone, featuring mounts in every one of the six black-type contests across the two-day meeting.
McEvoy, successful in the $500,000 The Coast (1600m) with Athantos and the Takeover Target Stakes riding King Of Roseau (1100m) at Gosford, begins his stakes campaign on War Eternal in the Listed Scone Cup (1600m) this Friday.
On Saturday, his rides feature the two-year-old filly La Gitana representing Lindsay Park in the Woodlands Stakes (1100m) along with Our Kobison for trainer Angela Davies in the Ortensia Stakes (1100m).
Our Kobison secured victory in six of his initial 10 outings, drawing interest from 2024 Everest slot owners, and although he missed the headline event, he placed second behind Joliestar in that season’s Show County Quality (1200m).
Although his performances declined toward the end of the previous campaign, he showed marked improvement upon return at Rosehill during April, narrowly defeated by Point And Shoot, then ending fifth in the Hawkesbury Gold Rush.
McEvoy has partnered the gelding on four occasions, achieving one triumph and three runner-up finishes, including his seasonal debut, and he is content to team up again.
“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 is set for her initial New South Wales appearance, backed by strong credentials from her pair of placings in Victorian black-type events.
The Victorian challengers had notable achievements in the Sydney autumn juvenile highlights, highlighted by Guest House’s win in the Golden Slipper, and McEvoy notes the Hayes brothers’ confidence in La Gitana for the journey north.
“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.”
Completing his black-type lineup, McEvoy will also ride Casserousse in the Listed Denise’s Joy Stakes (1100m), Harlem Queen in the Dark Jewel Classic (1400m), and the progressing Captain Furai in the Luskin Star Stakes (1300m).
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