A Saturday morning hit out on Houtzen has given race day jockey Kerrin McEvoy plenty of confidence heading into the Group 1 £500,000 King’s Stand Stakes (5 furlongs) on Day One of the Royal Ascot Carnival in England.
Kerrin McEvoy rode Houtzen, above, in a gallop in preparation for the 2019 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in England. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
McEvoy will be having his first race ride on the Houtzen who hasn’t raced since finishing tenth of thirteen in the $1m Magic Millions Snippets (1200m) at the Gold Coast in January and the Toby Edmunds trained mare hasn’t missed a placing from four first up attempts in the past with one win, a second and two thirds.
The Melbourne Cup winning jockey rode Houtzen in a workout on Saturday morning and said that the I Am Invincible mare felt terrific and is ready to be very competitive down the Royal Ascot straight course.
“I rode her on Saturday morning and she gave me a good feel and she’s ready to run a good race,” McEvoy told Attheraces channel in England on Monday.
“She’s going to have a nice each-way chance there.”
“She has just been behind our good sprinters at home and she’s got a really good fresh record.”
“Early in her preparation is when she runs her best. Usually her first or second run.”
Houtzen has drawn barrier eleven in the twelve horse King’s Stand Stakes field and is quoted at $18 with Ladbrokes.com.au.
The Charles Hills trained Battaash heads the market order at $3 to reverse last year’s result with the Charlie Appleby trained Blue Print who is on the second line of betting at $3.30 while last year’s third placegetter Mabs Cross is next in the market order at $8.
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