Kerrin McEvoy’s efforts to reposition himself as a freelance rider are starting to reap rewards.
The former stable jockey for Godolphin has rides in seven of the eight races at Rosehill on Saturday for five different trainers.
Three of his mounts are for leading conditioner Chris Waller while Peter Moody has booked him to partner Thermal Current in the Group Two Expressway Stakes.
McEvoy says he is in a happy place as he heads into his first Sydney autumn carnival as a freelance jockey.
“It’s all about getting out and about and restructuring yourself in the freelance world. I’m pretty happy with how it’s going,” McEvoy said.
“I’ve been doing a bit for each of those yards and it’s pleasing to see that can reward you with some rides at the races. Hopefully I can have a nice day on Saturday for those big stables.”
The old Godolphin team will reunite when McEvoy links up with Sheikh Mohammed’s former head trainer Peter Snowden to partner Outreach in the Listed Canonbury Stakes.
A full brother to 2013 Golden Slipper winner Overreach, Outreach won a recent barrier trial and worked well for McEvoy at a rain-sodden Randwick on Tuesday.
“He’s not an overly big horse but he’s well put together and he’s got a tradesman-like attitude,” McEvoy said.
“On Tuesday morning it was rain-affected ground and he seemed to handle that with ease so you’d expect him to show something on a rain-affected track on Saturday.”
The Bart and James Cummings-trained Yattarna will carry McEvoy’s hopes in the Listed Widden Stakes for the fillies.
One of the outsiders of the field, McEvoy says Yattarna has the raw ability to become an autumn surprise packet.
“There’s no doubt she’ll enjoy further than Saturday’s trip but she might also be a filly that switches on quickly and can almost speed-up into these races heading into the carnival,” he said.
