Kerrin McEvoy had to work hard to get Foxplay home in the Phar Lap Stakes
Having had an easy time guiding champion Winx around Rosehill in a race day gallop, Kerrin McEvoy has had to work hard to get her stablemate Foxplay home in the Group Two Phar Lap Stakes.
The $1.80 Sportsbet favourite for Saturday’s 1500m race, Foxplay was at the tail of the field entering the straight and McEvoy had to check her when she ran into a dead end.
She finally got a clear run and ran purposefully to the line to beat Zenalicious ($21) by a neck.
“I came out just a little bit to give myself options,” McEvoy said.
“I was finishing really well, but I ended up funnelling up into a bit of a dead end so I just had to ask her to steady for a few strides and then ducked in and followed Timmy (Clark) through on Zenalicious.
“Full credit to the filly, she picked up really well when I asked her, and she got me out of trouble.”
Chris Waller was not at Rosehill and his racing manager Charlie Duckworth said the trainer and the filly’s owners, a Star Throughbreds Syndicate, would discuss the next step.
“It’s a good problem to have,” Duckworth said.
“Whether she stays around this trip or whether we step her up in distance – I’ll leave those decisions up to Chris and see how she comes out of today.
“I hope Kerrin wasn’t in the same amount of panic as I was at the turn.
“She has done really well to pick herself up off the turf and rattle on home.”
After winning the 2015 Phar Lap, Winx ran fifth in the Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) before running second in the Australian Oaks, the last time she was beaten.
