Hawkesbury trainer Tony McEvoy will be “doing his best” to strike a blow for the locals at Saturday’s history-making $1m meeting at home.
McEvoy, who set up a NSW base at Hawkesbury 12 months ago, has six representatives and (on Thursday) named Panthers Hawkesbury Gold Cup topweight Mouro as his best chance.
And he has “tinkered” with Mouro’s gear to hopefully clinch an anniversary double in the $150,000 Group 3 Cup (1600m).
Mouro beat subsequent Group 1 Doomben Cup winner Beaten Up in the Rowley Mile (now to be run in August and replaced by the Cup) at last year’s stand-alone fixture soon after arriving at Hawkesbury.
McEvoy, bewildered by the five-year-old import’s failure (when he beat only two home) in Sacred Falls’ $3m Doncaster Mile at Randwick on April 12, has removed blinkers from Mouro and instead will race him in winkers.
“I can’t explain his Doncaster run,” McEvoy said. “He let us down.
“But he’s a stallion and I’ve decided to tinker with his gear a bit.
“We’ve been right over him since from head to toe and can’t fault him.
“He ran in the richest mile handicap in the world last time and this is a fair drop in class.
“Mouro is the best horse I’m taking to the races on Saturday, and I feel he’s my best chance, especially from an inside draw.
“The handicapper thinks he’s the best horse in the race. He has given him 3kg more than the next horse (Malavio).”
Tim Clark rides Mouro, who won first-up over 1400m at Flemington this campaign and clinched both the Sale Cup (1600m) and Eclipse Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield last spring.
McEvoy was lavish in his praise of Hawkesbury Race Club for putting on a $1m raceday for the first time.
“The club deserves great congratulations,” he said. “It’s a wonderful achievement for a provincial club to offer such outstanding prizemoney, and I’ll be doing my best to keep some of it at home.
Here is McEvoy’s summation of his other Hawkesbury runners:
LONGSHOREMAN (Westaflex Benchmark 85 Handicap, 1300m): “He has been aggressive in his races but seems to be relaxing more now, so I’ve taken the norton bit off and will use a lugging bit on him. Resuming and this looks a nice race for him.”
HARMONIC (Blakes Marine Benchmark 80 Handicap, 1500m): “A good tough win at Warwick Farm last start and has trained on very well. Nicely drawn and I’m sure he will run well again.”
THE MESSINA NYMPH (The Darley Crown, 1300m): “Lightly-raced filly who is still 12 months away from reaching her peak. A very tall filly who still lacks a bit of depth, but I think she’s pretty smart and have thrown her in at the deep end here.”
KAYJAY’S JOY (Blacktown Workers Hawkesbury Guineas, 1400m): “Recent acquisition to my stable and probably should still be unbeaten. Things just didn’t go her way when resuming and just beaten at Newcastle. I’ll use a one-eyed blinker on her. Realistically, she is going to need everything to go her way up in class and from an awkward draw.”
POCKET ROCKETS (XXXX Gold Hawkesbury Rush, 1100m): “Has form around Lankan Rupee, and it’s the benchmark sprinting form. I thought he ran well last time at Flemington when beaten only two lengths and I’ve set him for this race. Has settled in well since arriving at Hawkesbury.”
– Hawkesbury Race Club
