Jockey Kerrin McEvoy upbeat about continued success

Kerrin McEvoy has had a good laugh at the way punters and bookmakers have continued to underestimate Bangkok Hottie.

Getting the ride on Headwall to continue the jockey’s record-breaking run in the $20 million Everest has given him even more reason to smile.

McEvoy, who has had feature race wins the past four Saturdays in Sydney, rides both this Saturday at Randwick as part of a strong book that also includes Epsom Handicap fancy Attica. Those chances and others on the day have McEvoy in an excellent position to stretch his impressive first two months of the season.

“It’s been all right,” McEvoy said. “My son, Jake, reminded me, he said, ‘Dad, you’ve had only one Saturday this new season without a winner’. So that’s not a bad start.”

The David Payne-trained Bangkok Hottie has been part of his stakes race run, winning the group 2 Furious (1200m) and Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) with strong on-pace efforts. She started $8.50 and a $3.90 second elect in those wins, respectively, and looks likely to be shaded in the market again.

She is $2.90 out to $3.10 with TAB to complete a hat-trick in the grand final of the Princess Series for three-year-old fillies, the $750,000 group 1 Flights Stakes over 1600m, on Saturday.

The Chris Waller-trained Striking Alibi, which has twice flashed home for a placing behind Bangkok Hottie, is a steady $2.60 favourite. John Sargent’s Global Goal was in the mix at $3.20 in a seven-horse field.

“I keep chuckling at that all the time,” McEvoy said. “It’s the Aussies’ way to think, ‘What’s flashing home?’ They keep putting her out as second or third pick, but anyway, it doesn’t really matter to myself, David or the filly.

“She’s been winning well and has a nice approach to her work, so you’d think going out to the mile, a little deeper into her prep, she’s going to be fine.

“She’s shown that she’s tactically sound, and I’d be surprised if she doesn’t enjoy the mile, but they’ve all got to tick that box, and you don’t know until you try. But I wouldn’t change her, that’s for sure.

“You’ve obviously got to go with a bit of a different tempo, out to a mile, but she’s versatile and we can ride her according to the scenario on Saturday as it unfolds.”

McEvoy switches from grand final to dress rehearsal in the $1 million group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m) with Headwall after picking up the ride from Zac Lloyd. The Matt Smith-trained sprinter came back from a year on the sidelines to secure the Everest slot of Neil Werrett and his partners with second in the Concorde Stakes and fifth, one length away, in the Shorts. Lloyd is with Coolmore’s likely Everest runner, Guest House, for the October 17 showpiece, opening the door for McEvoy to keep his streak alive in the race.

McEvoy has won the Everest a record three times, with Redzel (2017-18) and Classique Legend (2020), and is the only jockey to feature in every edition of the race, which is approaching its 10th running.

He said it was exciting to link with Headwall ($10), which has gate two on Saturday to potentially get a better run from back in the pack.

“He’s a great sprinter – we’ve seen that in recent seasons – and Matt has a good understanding of where he’s at,” he said.

“We know his best is good enough to run very well in an Everest. He’s performed well on rain-affected ground, so I know I’ll be praying for some rain leading up to the Everest.

“The soft draw on Saturday means we’ll have a ground-saving run for the first part and just hopefully present him and let him round the race off well.”

McEvoy won the $1.5 million group 1 Epsom (1600m) last year aboard odds-on favourite Autumn Glow and this time has third elect Attica ($8). The Joe Pride-trained group 1 winner at 2000m has just 51.5 kilograms from gate six.

“Randwick suits, the handicap suits and he’s trialled nicely since with blinkers on,” said McEvoy, who was third on Attica in the Tramway last start.

“Hopefully we get a nice even to genuine tempo. He’s a horse that can soak up a good tempo and still finish, especially with that light weight. That was a sharp trial the other day; he was very good, with a horse like Tempted behind him.”

The $750,000 Metropolitan (2400m), now a group 2, is one of the few major handicaps McEvoy has not won. He rides the Phillip and Tommy Stokes-trained Deakin ($14), which looks likely to head north after drawing poorly in the group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington.

“I’ve had a couple of placings in the race and finished a nose second a few times, I think, so it would be nice to win,” he said.

“This horse is bringing good form – Randwick, the distance suits and he’s a capable stayer – so he’s a chance in an even race.”

His other stakes race rides are She’s Supreme ($8) in the Gimcrack and Power Broker ($17) in the Dulcify.

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