Tony McEvoy hopes its third time lucky for Big Memory in the Mornington Cup
It could be a case of third time lucky for Big Memory in the $300,000 Mornington Cup.
The Tony McEvoy-trained stayer has finished runner-up in the past two Mornington Cups, including his nose second to Berisha last year, and will be back for another crack at the 2400m race on Saturday.
And the seven-year-old will go in as a last-start winner having broken through in the Roy Higgins Quality at Flemington earlier this month for his first victory since the spring of 2014.
“He has done extra well since his good win the other day and he likes Mornington,” McEvoy said.
“He hasn’t won the race but he has gone mighty close.
“So we know he likes the track and he’s probably going into it as good as he has done before.”
The winner of the Mornington Cup earns a ballot exemption into this year’s Group One Caulfield Cup and the race has attracted 26 nominations.
Last year’s Sydney Cup winner Gallante is the highest-rated entry while Gold Trail will add an international flavour when he runs for English trainer Charlie Appleby and Godolphin.
Adelaide Cup winner Annus Mirabilis and Canberra Cup winner Dark Eyes are also among the nominations
Big Memory fought back in the Roy Higgins Quality to cap a big day for McEvoy on March 4 with his win coming soon after stablemate Hey Doc won the Group One Australian Guineas.
Big Memory’s win was more than satisfying for his trainer.
“I was starting to feel sorry for the horse because he was doing nothing wrong and just couldn’t win,” McEvoy said.
“He’s had 12 seconds and many of those have been by very small margins.
“I must say I got just as big a thrill out of him winning as I did the Group One. More for the horse than for me.”
McEvoy said Hey Doc would have a race-day gallop at the Mornington meeting in preparation for the Group One Doncaster Mile at Randwick a week later.
