High profile jockey Kerrin McEvoy will be chasing his third win in the Group 1 $6.25m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on Tuesday when he hops aboard German stayer Red Cardinal.
Kerrin McEvoy, above, rides Red Cardinal in the 2017 Melbourne Cup at Flemington. Photo by Daniel Costello.
McEvoy added last year’s winner Almandin to his win on Brew in 2000 and is giving himself a great chance to claim a third Melbourne Cup winning trophy on the Andreas Wohler trained Red Cardinal.
“I’ve ridden him in work a couple of times. He’s a quality stayer and he’s travelled out here well,” McEvoy told The Advertiser.
“He’s got a change of gears when the question’s asked and that’s what you need for a stayer in a Melbourne Cup. And he’s trained by Andreas Wohler, who knows what’s required as well.
“He’s a nice big horse with a good temperament. He stays the trip well and he’s shown that he can travel. He went to America and won. I think he’s in the race with a good each-way chance.”
Wohler won the 2014 Melbourne Cup with Protectionist and is hoping Red Cardinal can make it two wins for him in the famous two mile race, but first he has to overcome two obstacles.
Wohler elected not to give Red Cardinal a lead up run in the Group 2 $400,000 Ladbrokes Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield on October 14 because of the firm track conditions and the Montjeu gelding will have to jump from the car park after coming up with the outside barrier in the field that that has been reduced to twenty-three runners following the scratching of the Chris Waller trained Who Shot Thebarman because of an elevated temperature.
“I think he runs well off a break. He is fresh and I think we have to pass two bad things, not having a prep run and an outside draw, so that is a big task I think,” Wohler told racing.com.
“Normally not the draw you would like to have.”
“Outside draw, I think we have the right jockey on it for that.”
“We are meeting after the parade for a cup of coffee and discus what we want to do. Probably just have a cup of coffee and I will probably leave it up to him. He should know how to do it.”
Wohler is not giving up hope and would like to relive the excitement that followed his Melbourne Cup win with Protectionist three years ago.
“You always try to win again because once you’ve got a taste of it, you want it again,” Wohler said.
“It was a great feeling. Now all the memories are coming back up again when you’re back here.
“It was the greatest moment we had in racing. It was a great experience, this race three years ago. It changed something.”
Red Cardinal hasn’t started since running fifth to Marmelo in the Group 2 €130,000 Darley Prix Kergorlay (3000m) at Deauville in France on August 20 and is marked at $19 for the Melbourne Cup at Ladbrokes.com.au.
Marmelo continues to firm in the betting and is now the $8 favourite, displacing last year’s winner Almandin who is on the second line of betting at $9.
