Carnival time at Pakenham

Carnival Row continued his affinity for the Pakenham Synthetic track with a strong victory in the Sportsbet Fast Form Benchmark 64 Handicap (1600m) on Friday, August 30.

Trained by Tony & Calvin McEvoy, Carnival Row has two wins, a second and a third from four runs at the track.

Jockey Harry Coffey rode a patient race to allow the four-year-old to lengthen in the home straight and win running away.

Carnival Row ($3.60) had a length to spare at the finish from Royal Fox ($8) with Eddy Street ($3.50 fav), three-quarters of a length away third.

The gelding settled midfield and looked in a trouble with runners all around him mid-race but turning for home, a gap opened, and he accelerated through to grab victory.

Trainer Tony McEvoy praised Carnival Row’s win.

“He was very good,” McEvoy said.

“Staying at that trip made us a little bit nervous but we kept him nice and fresh.

“The team at home have done a really good job of that.

“Harry (Coffey) gave him a real peach tonight – he was patient, didn’t panic.

“It looked a little awkward in the mid stages with a few horses over-racing around him.

“But Harry counted to 10, got the run and Carnival Row finished it off really well.

“The horse likes it here, he is a fan of this track.

“I’m looking forward to getting him out to 2000 metres on top of the ground.

“He’s a real fit racehorse and he has got a natural fitness, but he just needs his races spaced.”

Winning jockey Harry Coffey praised trainer Tony McEvoy for his work on keeping Carnival Row calm pre-race.

“Tony is a true all-rounder, did everything but ride it,” Coffey said.

“And he assures me rode alright back in the day.

“The horse can be a little bit hot and gets a bit worked up.

“Tony was putting the softener on him and keeping him nice and calm.

“To the horse’s credit, he was in a good headspace tonight.”

Coffey said he had remembered McEvoy’s words when in the barrier.

“I was a little unsure what I was going to do but when I got legged on Tony said don’t panic.

“In the barrier, I told myself don’t panic and that was what happened.

“We had a nice run, and it all worked out, a little gap came at the top of the straight.

“When he is ridden in a manner where he switches off and gets an easy time and has it all go his way he has got a really good turn of foot and that showed tonight.”