Kerrin Mcevoy has ended his year on a high with a trifecta of wins at Randwick, highlighted by the feature race aboard the Chris Waller-trained Oscar Zulu.
The three-time Melbourne Cup winning jockey plans to take a short break over the Christmas period and Saturday’s Randwick meeting was his last of 2021.
He made the most of it, opening his account aboard promising Peter and Paul Snowden-trained stayer Huetor in the Precise Air Handicap (2000m) before adding wins aboard Fashchanel for John O’Shea in the UNSW Handicap (1400m) and Oscar Zulu in the Acy Securities Handicap (1400m).
McEvoy, who took his season tally of metropolitan wins to 26, said it was a nice note to finish the year on and he feels the best may be ahead for Oscar Zulu.
“He had been pleasing me in the trials this horse, so I thought he had a squeaky chance,” McEvoy said.
“He is a lovely big, strong horse by Epaulette and he has only just gone four, he feels like he has been around for ages, but he might just be coming into his best season yet.
“I’ve got a couple of weeks off now, so it is a nice way to finish off the year.”
Oscar Zulu was making his first appearance since finishing down the track at Randwick in September, a run Waller believes may have been one too many after an otherwise consistent preparation.
With Prime Candidate setting a solid pace, the race was fought out by the run-on horses with Oscar Zulu ($13) surging through along the inside to deny Purple Sector ($20) by a half-length with Dream Circle ($8.50) another three-quarters of a length away third.
The winner has booked his passage to the Gold Coast for the Magic Millions carnival in January.
“It was a lovely ride, saved ground, got the run up the fence, it’s the shortest way home and he won well,” Waller said.
“He will probably end up in Queensland in four weeks time. We will give him another run before then.”
Oscar Zulu was part of a quartet of winners for Waller, along with Toomuchtobear, Francesco Guardi and Tycoonist.
