The Caulfield Cup is the target for Big Memory this spring with trainer Tony McEvoy saying two-mile races are now off the agenda.
Last year’s Herbert Power Stakes winner will form part of McEvoy’s spring carnival team and the trainer is looking to keep the gelding to races around 2400 metres or less after he has twice failed to run a strong 3200 metres in the Adelaide Cup and the Sydney Cup.
“He doesn’t run the two miles,” McEvoy said.
“We’ve tried him twice now in the Adelaide Cup and the Sydney Cup and both times he was a winning chance to the turn and then no winning chance in the straight.”
Big Memory was one of four McEvoy-trained horses to work out between races at Morphettville on Saturday.
He was paired with Australian Guineas runner-up Alpine Eagle while new stable acquisition Bull Point galloped with Sysmo.
McEvoy was pleased with the hit-outs and will decide their programs after they run in barrier trials on Friday.
Big Memory was unplaced in last year’s Caulfield Cup but the trainer said he was keen to have another shot at the race.
“The Caulfield Cup is the goal but he would have to be right at the peak of his form,” McEvoy said.
“There’s also the Metropolitan in Sydney, and there’s some nice country Cups.
“But I’d love to get him to the Caulfield Cup.”
McEvoy is delighted with Alpine Eagle who is likely to kick off in either the PB Lawrence Stakes or the Group One Memsie Stakes two weeks later.
Alpine Eagle stamped himself as a high-quality horse in the autumn when he won the Group Two Autumn Classic and ran second to Wandjina in the Australian Guineas.
“He’s put on quite a bit of weight and you can really tell he’s gone from three (year-old) to four,” McEvoy said.
“He’s strengthened and thickened up. I’m very happy with him.”
McEvoy will let Alpine Eagle’s form decide his major spring target but is hopeful he warrants a start in the Cox Plate.
Dual Group One placegetter Bull Point has joined McEvoy’s stable and the trainer believes the horse is best at distances up to 1400m.
“Whilst I’m still learning about him, at the moment I’m concentrating on him as a sprinter,” McEvoy said.
