Veteran trainer Les Bridge received a delayed birthday celebration at Rosehill after Aye Aye Captain bounced back to winning form, with Kerrin McEvoy admitting he owed the stable a result following a costly recommendation last start.
Aye Aye Captain had disappointed when finishing fifth as favourite on a heavy track at her previous outing after McEvoy encouraged Bridge to let her take her place.
Back on firmer ground in Saturday’s Congratulations Chris Waller Handicap (1400m), the mare made no mistake.
Sent out a $3.30 chance, Aye Aye Captain fought strongly to score by a neck over Ticklebelly ($5), rewarding the patience of her connections.
McEvoy confessed he had some repairing to do after the mare’s previous defeat.
“I must admit, he wasn’t too happy with me the other day when I convinced him to run on the heavy track,” McEvoy said.
“I could tell when I rang him after the races he was a bit flat on me.
“Anyway, he’s waited for today, freshened her up, and her work during the week was good.
“She settled better for me today, and the better ground suited her.”
The victory was another chapter in the long-standing partnership between McEvoy and Bridge, which stretches back almost a quarter of a century.
Their first success together came with Miss Zoe in the 2002 Emancipation Stakes, before the pair combined for the biggest win of their careers when Classique Legend captured The Everest in 2020.
“My first winner (for Bridge) was a good mare of his way back in the early 2000s, Miss Zoe. This was when I was just out of my apprenticeship,” McEvoy said.
“Then when I moved to Sydney, I didn’t ride a lot for Les early on. Carmel (Size) linked me up when she knew she had a smart one in Classique Legend, and I’ve been doing a bit ever since with Les.”
Well-supported favourite Enviable ($2.50) failed to fire, fading to finish last after racing outside the leader.
James McDonald told stewards the mare travelled comfortably during the run but failed to respond when asked for an effort in the straight. A post-race veterinary examination was expected to determine whether there was an underlying reason for the disappointing performance.
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