Mission successful

A trip to Albury in New South Wales proved a winning move for talented three-year-old Clear Mission, trained by Tony & Calvin McEvoy.

A red-hot $1.40 favourite, Clear Mission, ridden by Michael Cahill, showed great heart to score a head win from Read My Lips ($4) with Croatian Art ($13), 1-1/2 lengths away third in the Sodens Hotel Maiden (1000m).

Cahill allowed the three-year-old to race outside the leader on settling down before asking the gelding to go for home.

The runner up loomed alongside at the 200-metre mark and the pair had a stirring battle with the favourite prevailing.

Trainer Tony McEvoy praised son Calvin and Racing Manager Rayan Moore for the decision to take Clear Mission to Albury.

“It was good placement by Calvin and Rayan to find the race,” McEvoy said.

“Clear Mission hasn’t been running to his trackwork or his trials.

“So they decided to try something different and sent him to Albury to run on the other leg, and it worked.

“He didn’t win by a big margin but what I did like was that he got headed in the home straight and fought back.

“Jockey Matthew Cahill said he was quite strong over the last bit to win and hold off the runner up.

“It was encouraging and hopefully he can take some good strides forward with the confidence of the win.”

Cahill told connections Clear Mission had impressed him.

“He is a nice horse,” Cahill said.

“I didn’t drive him out of the gates, just came out with him.

“He relaxed nicely outside the leader which ran along.

“He didn’t quicken a lot off the home turn but kept going, and probably the last 100 metres was his best part of the race.

“The runner up headed me, but he knuckled down and fought it off.

“I thought it was a good win.”