McEvoy’s training treble
Trainers Tony & Calvin McEvoy celebrated a winning treble when Desired proved too strong on the Ballarat Synthetic at Ballarat on Tuesday, August 30.
After winning the previous two races with Pegasi and Rose Tycoon, the McEvoys made it three in a row with the victory of Desired in the Sportsbet Bet With Mates Benchmark 58 Handicap (1200m).
Jockey Mitchell Aitken gave the four-year-old mare a perfect run settling one-out, one-back before allowing her to sprint to victory up the home straight.
Desired ($7) scored by three-quarters of a length from Hughes The Boss ($18) with Boss Queen ($4.80), 1-1/2 lengths away third.
Trainer Tony McEvoy was overjoyed to bring up the hat-trick of winners.
“I’m pleased about that,” McEvoy said.
“But I have to give credit to co-trainer Calvin, he’s had plenty to do with these winners.
“Desired was really good.
“We took her to Adelaide the other day expecting her to run really well.
“She was in a 1000 (metres) but got run off her legs suggesting to us for the first time she wanted further.
“We saw this 1200 metre race today and she really lapped it up.
“She raced beautifully, and Mitch (Aitken) gave her a beautiful trip from a good gate and she was very strong.
“That was her most impressive win to me.”
McEvoy said he would digest the race before deciding whether to increase the mare in trip again.
“I will probably keep her in the 1200 metre range, but it was pleasing to win again with her.”
Winning jockey Mitchell Aitken was impressed by Desired’s win and riding for the McEvoys.
“I’m very happy with the way things are going and very grateful for the opportunities,” Aitken said.
“Desired jumped away very cleanly and put herself into a nice spot, and I was able to dictate.
“I had to keep an eye on her as she has a tendency to lay in and get in on top of other horses.
“She was going straight as a gun barrel until I switched the whip over to my right hand.
“She did duck in but ran the 1200 (metres) out strongly, I couldn’t fault her in any way.
“She travelled into it very nicely for me and let go very good.