Kerrin McEvoy put his body to the test in a trackwork session on Friday morning and is fit and ready for a big day of racing at Flemington on Saturday.
McEvoy was thrown from an unraced two-year-old into the outside fence at Rosehill on Tuesday as the horse was heading out for a barrier trial.
Darley’s number one stable rider initially feared he had again damaged ribs he had broken in a Sydney Cup fall last April but was lucky to escape with just bruising and soreness.
McEvoy stood himself down from the remainder of Tuesday’s trial session and also Wednesday’s Wyong meeting.
He will ride Beaded in Saturday’s Group One Newmarket Handicap at Flemington and Illo in the Australian Cup along with a strong book of rides in the support races.
“I did a bit of trackwork this morning out at Agnes Banks and was happy how I felt,” McEvoy said.
“A couple of days off just helped get rid of a bit of stiffness.”
The Bart Cummings-trained Illo is the second favourite for the Australian Cup (2000m) behind 2010 Melbourne Cup winner Americain after the scratching of fellow import Lucas Cranach.
Cummings has won a record 13 Australian Cups while McEvoy will be in search of his first.
The jockey will also be chasing a first success in the Newmarket Handicap aboard consistent mare Beaded who finished third in the race won by champion Black Caviar last year.
“She’s in good shape and is better for her first-up run,” McEvoy said of Beaded.
“She’s run well in top-class Group One races before and this is definitely as tough as any of them with a big field in the Newmarket.
“It could just be set up for her with a nice pressure on in the race.”
Fellow Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Blake Shinn has also recovered quickly after he injured his ankle in a fall at the same Rosehill trial session on Tuesday.
X-rays cleared Shinn of any fractures and after missing Wednesday’s meeting and Thursday’s washed out Hawkesbury fixture the jockey was back in action at Gosford on Friday.
Shinn rides Cox Plate winner Pinker Pinker in Saturday’s Group One Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Warwick Farm.
AAP TURF
