McEvoy hoping Skyhook steals show and star duo hit the track
McEvoy has the job on stakes winner Skyhook ($3.90 Sportsbet) in the listed Rosebud (1100m) and unbeaten Peter Snowden-trained mare Amreekiyah ($3.60) a race earlier.
The 44-year-old is also down to pilot Chris Waller-trained stars Fangirl and Autumn Glow in 1000m exhibition gallops between races early in the day if track conditions are suitable. The surface was a heavy 10 on Friday.
Aeliana (Jason Collett), Via Sistina (James McDonald) and Lady Shenandoah (McDonald) were also set to gallop ahead of potential returns next week at Randwick on Winx Stakes day.
McEvoy won the Winx Stakes, the first group 1 of the season, last year with Via Sistina, and he was eyeing another shot at the race, this time with Fangirl.
'I've been lucky enough to pick up some nice ones next week,' McEvoy said.
'Memo is going to run, and I think at this stage, if Fangirl runs, I might be on her. Possibly Autumn Glow as well, if she runs in the Show County. That one is weight-related with James.'
The 84-time group 1 winner is hoping Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained Skyhook could highlight his spring credentials in the first feature for three-year-olds.
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Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Skyhook carries weight of expectation to set up path to Golden Rose
Lady Shenandoah changes course Top trainer Chris Waller will likely hold Lady Shenandoah back from the Winx Stakes and take her down a sprinting path, potentially towards the $20 million The Everest. Waller gave star mares Via Sistina, Fangirl and Aeliana an exhibition gallop at Rosehill after race one on Saturday, before another two, Autumn Glow and Lady Shenandoah, went around following race two. Before Saturday, Via Sistina, Fangirl, Aeliana and Lady Shenandoah were set to clash first-up in next week's season-opening group 1, the Winx Stakes (1400m), at Randwick. However, Lady Shenandoah was under a strong hold from James McDonald in the gallop before Waller said the Snitzel mare, unbeaten at three and a three-time group 1 winner, was instead set to resume in the $1 million September 6 Concorde Stakes over 1000m at Randwick. Waller said the decision to go down a 'sprinting path' came because his star team was already 'top heavy with mile-2000m horses' and Lady Shenandoah's best win last preparation was over the 1200m of the Light Fingers Stakes. As for a shot at October 18 Everest, he said: 'I've fallen into the trap before of just saying yes, but I just think let them have their first runs. That's going to be 1000m. 'Then she can go to wherever we want. She can go to a Manikato, back for an Everest, she can stay in Sydney and we can still plot a path to the Golden Eagle or step her up at any stage because we know she can win over a mile.' On a heavy 9, Lady Shenandoah ran 53 seconds over 800m, with a last 600m of 38.12. Unbeaten fellow four-year-old Autumn Glow, which is on an Epsom Handicap path and is set to resume in the Toy Show (1100m) or Show County (1200m) qualities next week, went 51.16 and 36.71. Over 1000m, Via Sistina ran 105.49 and 37.26, Aeliana 105.92 and 36.47, and Fangirl 106.10 and 37.27. Waller said Lindermann and Full Count Felicia would join that trio in the Winx Stakes. Wyong Cup on radar for Amusing Chris Waller was reassessing targets for Godolphin mare Amusing and eyeing another wet track for Pippie Beach after they gave him and top jockey James McDonald a double at Rosehill. Amusing made it back-to-back wins with Waller after edging out stablemate Travolta and apprentice Siena Grima in a willing battle over the final 200m of the 1900m benchmark 78 handicap. Waller praised both rides and said Amusing's fitness edge was key to the win, which has Amusing 'heading down the right path to black-type'. He was looking at listed Wyong Cup (2100m) on September 5 as a possible target. 'After her last win, I was thinking the Aspiration and the Epona in the autumn, but after today, do you look at a Wyong Cup or something while the other horses are getting fit and she's rock-hard fit?' Waller said. 'The distance will be no problem, we've just got to get her to settle better.' Earlier, Pippie Beach made it three wins from four heavy track runs, holding off stablemate Sister Daae by three-quarters of a length in the fillies and mares benchmark 78 (1400m). 'James offset the weight [60kg] with a perfect ride from the draw,' Waller said. 'She will come back and might pick up some black-type in a race like the Aspiration, and if the weather is still the same in another two weeks, she might run again.' Gear change ignites Fully Lit Trainer Adrian Bott believed the removal of blinkers helped Fully Lit scorch away at Rosehill on Saturday to a dominant victory – his first since taking out the $2 million Inglis Millennium 18 months ago. Unplaced in five starts this preparation, the Hellbent four-year-old, a $13 chance with Sportsbet, led the 1400m benchmark 78 for the boys and kicked clear under Adam Hyeronimus to win by more than five lengths]. Bott was surprised by the margin but not the win. 'I've been able to make an excuse for his races to date,' Bott said. Loading 'He's just never had the conditions to suit, we've been tinkering with his gear, the distance ranges, but importantly, I think getting back onto an improving track and just aided by a lovely ride by Adam where the horse was comfortable from the outset. 'I think the blinkers coming off [helped]. He got up overracing outside the lead two starts ago and he was too fierce within himself.' Breakthrough win for O'Halloran Hawkesbury trainer Stephen O'Halloran was celebrating a first Saturday city winner after Mal Coupe scored a fighting half-neck victory over favourite Polyglot in the benchmark 78 (1100m). It was a fourth win across the four-year-old's past five starts. The victory followed a Canterbury midweek win and came after he broke his maiden at Bathurst in May. 'The horse, every time we've set a bar to him, he's answered the question,' O'Halloran said. 'I would have been more confident last week, going for the Midway, but they abandoned the races and I thought we were maybe going a little bit of a step too far for him, but the horse has done a super preparation and doesn't know how to run a bad race. 'He won at Canterbury for me, which was really good, in the city, but to win at Rosehill on a Saturday it would be up there with the best I've had.'
The Age
a day ago
- The Age
Skyhook carries weight of expectation to set up path to Golden Rose
Lady Shenandoah changes course Top trainer Chris Waller will likely hold Lady Shenandoah back from the Winx Stakes and take her down a sprinting path, potentially towards the $20 million The Everest. Waller gave star mares Via Sistina, Fangirl and Aeliana an exhibition gallop at Rosehill after race one on Saturday, before another two, Autumn Glow and Lady Shenandoah, went around following race two. Before Saturday, Via Sistina, Fangirl, Aeliana and Lady Shenandoah were set to clash first-up in next week's season-opening group 1, the Winx Stakes (1400m), at Randwick. However, Lady Shenandoah was under a strong hold from James McDonald in the gallop before Waller said the Snitzel mare, unbeaten at three and a three-time group 1 winner, was instead set to resume in the $1 million September 6 Concorde Stakes over 1000m at Randwick. Waller said the decision to go down a 'sprinting path' came because his star team was already 'top heavy with mile-2000m horses' and Lady Shenandoah's best win last preparation was over the 1200m of the Light Fingers Stakes. As for a shot at October 18 Everest, he said: 'I've fallen into the trap before of just saying yes, but I just think let them have their first runs. That's going to be 1000m. 'Then she can go to wherever we want. She can go to a Manikato, back for an Everest, she can stay in Sydney and we can still plot a path to the Golden Eagle or step her up at any stage because we know she can win over a mile.' On a heavy 9, Lady Shenandoah ran 53 seconds over 800m, with a last 600m of 38.12. Unbeaten fellow four-year-old Autumn Glow, which is on an Epsom Handicap path and is set to resume in the Toy Show (1100m) or Show County (1200m) qualities next week, went 51.16 and 36.71. Over 1000m, Via Sistina ran 105.49 and 37.26, Aeliana 105.92 and 36.47, and Fangirl 106.10 and 37.27. Waller said Lindermann and Full Count Felicia would join that trio in the Winx Stakes. Wyong Cup on radar for Amusing Chris Waller was reassessing targets for Godolphin mare Amusing and eyeing another wet track for Pippie Beach after they gave him and top jockey James McDonald a double at Rosehill. Amusing made it back-to-back wins with Waller after edging out stablemate Travolta and apprentice Siena Grima in a willing battle over the final 200m of the 1900m benchmark 78 handicap. Waller praised both rides and said Amusing's fitness edge was key to the win, which has Amusing 'heading down the right path to black-type'. He was looking at listed Wyong Cup (2100m) on September 5 as a possible target. 'After her last win, I was thinking the Aspiration and the Epona in the autumn, but after today, do you look at a Wyong Cup or something while the other horses are getting fit and she's rock-hard fit?' Waller said. 'The distance will be no problem, we've just got to get her to settle better.' Earlier, Pippie Beach made it three wins from four heavy track runs, holding off stablemate Sister Daae by three-quarters of a length in the fillies and mares benchmark 78 (1400m). 'James offset the weight [60kg] with a perfect ride from the draw,' Waller said. 'She will come back and might pick up some black-type in a race like the Aspiration, and if the weather is still the same in another two weeks, she might run again.' Gear change ignites Fully Lit Trainer Adrian Bott believed the removal of blinkers helped Fully Lit scorch away at Rosehill on Saturday to a dominant victory – his first since taking out the $2 million Inglis Millennium 18 months ago. Unplaced in five starts this preparation, the Hellbent four-year-old, a $13 chance with Sportsbet, led the 1400m benchmark 78 for the boys and kicked clear under Adam Hyeronimus to win by more than five lengths]. Bott was surprised by the margin but not the win. 'I've been able to make an excuse for his races to date,' Bott said. Loading 'He's just never had the conditions to suit, we've been tinkering with his gear, the distance ranges, but importantly, I think getting back onto an improving track and just aided by a lovely ride by Adam where the horse was comfortable from the outset. 'I think the blinkers coming off [helped]. He got up overracing outside the lead two starts ago and he was too fierce within himself.' Breakthrough win for O'Halloran Hawkesbury trainer Stephen O'Halloran was celebrating a first Saturday city winner after Mal Coupe scored a fighting half-neck victory over favourite Polyglot in the benchmark 78 (1100m). It was a fourth win across the four-year-old's past five starts. The victory followed a Canterbury midweek win and came after he broke his maiden at Bathurst in May. 'The horse, every time we've set a bar to him, he's answered the question,' O'Halloran said. 'I would have been more confident last week, going for the Midway, but they abandoned the races and I thought we were maybe going a little bit of a step too far for him, but the horse has done a super preparation and doesn't know how to run a bad race. 'He won at Canterbury for me, which was really good, in the city, but to win at Rosehill on a Saturday it would be up there with the best I've had.'
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
McEvoy hoping Skyhook steals show and star duo hit the track
Kerrin McEvoy is excited about the spring prospects of his rides in and possibly between races at Rosehill on Saturday. McEvoy has the job on stakes winner Skyhook ($3.90 Sportsbet) in the listed Rosebud (1100m) and unbeaten Peter Snowden-trained mare Amreekiyah ($3.60) a race earlier. The 44-year-old is also down to pilot Chris Waller-trained stars Fangirl and Autumn Glow in 1000m exhibition gallops between races early in the day if track conditions are suitable. The surface was a heavy 10 on Friday. Aeliana (Jason Collett), Via Sistina (James McDonald) and Lady Shenandoah (McDonald) were also set to gallop ahead of potential returns next week at Randwick on Winx Stakes day. McEvoy won the Winx Stakes, the first group 1 of the season, last year with Via Sistina, and he was eyeing another shot at the race, this time with Fangirl. 'I've been lucky enough to pick up some nice ones next week,' McEvoy said. 'Memo is going to run, and I think at this stage, if Fangirl runs, I might be on her. Possibly Autumn Glow as well, if she runs in the Show County. That one is weight-related with James.' The 84-time group 1 winner is hoping Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained Skyhook could highlight his spring credentials in the first feature for three-year-olds.
