French import Eyrton has showcased his talent with an impressive barrier trial win at Cranbourne but trainer Tony McEvoy is not expecting too much too soon.
McEvoy is looking to the autumn and spring of 2016 with the son of Muhtatir, a six-length winner of his 1190m-heat at Cranbourne on Tuesday under Mark Zahra.
Eyrton won his only start in France in November last year.
His new trainer was planning to start Eyrton at the Adelaide carnival in May but decided to wait.
Monday’s trial was his second in preparation for a return to racing.
“I was very pleased with him,” McEvoy said.
“Mark quite liked him but I’m still learning about the horse.
“I had him almost ready to run, but he was just a bit off colour, so I decided to turn him out of work and he had a good spell.
“He’ll have a quiet spring. We’ll just pick his way through the spring and we’ll see where he takes us.
“There’s no grand plans, I just want to get his rating up this spring and see what he can do in the autumn.”
McEvoy has decided to bypass Saturday’s Underwood Stakes at Caulfield with Alpine Eagle and target the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington on Sunday week.
The four-year-old will carry 54.5kg in the 2000m-Group One race but is not guaranteed a start.
“The 2000 at Flemington is better for him,” McEvoy said.
“If he gets a run, that’s his race.
“By then they start taking different routes, so I’m hopeful of getting him in.”
Alpine Eagle was a last-start sixth behind Fawkner in the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington on September 12.
