Neon last to first

Trainers Tony & Calvin McEvoy brought up a double on the Sportsbet Ballarat Synthetic on Tuesday, June 24, when Neon’s Last produced a tough performance to win the Hygain Winners Choice Benchmark 58 Handicap (1200m).

Having won earlier at the meeting with Ville De Lumiere, the McEvoys now have won two races from three starts with Neon’s Last which had previously been trained in South Australia.

Despite covering ground throughout and wanting to hang in up the home straight, the four-year-old responded to the riding of jockey Harry Coffey to grab a good win.

Neon’s Last ($3 fav) won by a long head from Shaalute ($4.40) with Fugacity ($19), 1-3/4 lengths away third.

The gelding didn’t begin brilliantly and settled at the tail of the field of 12 before Coffey asked to improve to midfield and wide, but with a trail.

Coffey brought the four-year-old to the extreme outside turning for home and he let down well but wanted to hang down towards the running rail forcing the jockey to use the whip in his left hand to try and keep him straight.

Neon’s Last finished strongly to grab victory in the shadows of the post.

Winning trainer Calvin McEvoy said Neon’s Last could have nearly won all three starts for the stable.

“Since arriving to us from South Australia he has been great,” McEvoy said.

“I have to thank John and Mary Knight for sending him to us.

“This was his third run and he probably be three from three as he was a little unlucky here once.

“He’s been a little bit of a difficult horse, he was scratched at the barriers one day at Swan Hill which was frustrating.

“It was a beautiful ride by Harry (Coffey) because he didn’t look like much fun.

“He arrived to us in good order, and it has been about working him out.

“He handles his work well, actually we can’t give him enough work, and he presented nice and burly in the yard today which shows he has a good constitution.

“We are hoping he can go through his grades for the owners.

“He is still progressing, we just have to iron a few of the creases out when he wants to lay in and not be as tractable as would be ideal.

“He is a work in progress, and we will continue working on him.”

Winning jockey Harry Coffey said Neon’s Last had done a great job to win in the wintry conditions.

“What a terrible day,” Coffey said.

“It makes you really love your job, these days at Ballarat.

“To be fair, it is probably the worst day we have had for the season so far.

“I had an interesting run on Neon’s Last.

“I wasn’t great away and tried to blend back but then I noticed I was going to get caught behind some slow ones, so I gave him a little squeeze to improve my position, three wide with cover.

“He did it with a lot of ease and actually I was concerned I may have overdone it.

“He travelled very well to the outside of runners then quickened up nicely around them.

“He did a good job as he sustained a long run from about the 500 (metres) with a big weight.

“He was wanting the line late, but I did use him earlier in the straight than I probably would have liked.

“If he had drawn a better gate would have got as nicer run and looked more impressive.”