Internationally acclaimed jockey Kerrin McEvoy can see his mount Folkswood settling in front of the super star mare Winx in the in the early stages of the Group 1 $3m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on Saturday.
Kerrin McEvoy, above, will ride Folkswood in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate at The Valley. Photo by Daniel Costello.
The Chris Waller trained Winx is the $1.16 favourite for the Ladbrokes Cox Plate at Ladbrokes.com.au while Folkswood is rated a $21 chance on the back of his win in the Listed $300,000 Cranbourne Cup (2025m) at Cranbourne on October 15.
McEvoy said that the Charlie Appleby trained English visitor was strong at the end of the 2025m of the Cranbourne Cup and if he can show those same qualities again on Saturday, will be in the contest against Winx for a long time.
“I imagine I am going to be in front of her and what he showed me and watching his replays and his win at Cranbourne is that he has a good solid last 1000m,” McEvoy told RSN’s Racing Pulse.
“So the last half a mile his times were strong enough the other day. It was only a Cranbourne Cup but he gave me a nice feel doing it and if I can get the first half of the race right then I am confident he is going to run a strong last section.”
“He’s a horse that has got around Cranbourne, he has got around Chester over in the UK which is a tight track similar to Moonee Valley and he is trained by Charlie Appleby who knows what is required to get a horse right on the day.”
“I am confident my horse is going to run a good race. We will give it our best shot.”
McEvoy has had a great last twelve months in the saddle and as well as winning last year’s Group 1 $6m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on Almandin, claimed several Group 1 wins over the 2017 Sydney Autumn Carnival as well as steering Redzel to win the inaugural running of the $10m The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 14.
Folkswood has drawn barrier five with Winx lining up next to him in gate six with Hugh Bowman in the saddle again.
Folkswood, who is coming off a Cranbourne Cup win, is facing a herculean task coming up against Winx who is the winner of her last twenty-one outings which includes victories in the last two runnings of the Ladbrokes Cox Plate.
The Queen Of The Australian Turf then took her Group 1 winning record to fourteen with a runaway win in the Group 1 $500,000 Seppelt Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 7 and in the process extended her winning sequence to twenty-one.
