Vivideel plan success

The first part of a long-range plan came to fruition when talented stayer Vivideel won at Warrnambool on Tuesday, April 30.

A number of the ownership group expressed a desire to trainers Tony & Calvin McEvoy to have Vivideel, race, and hopefully win, at Warrnambool during the famous three-day carnival.

The second part of the wish list was to win the Warrnambool Cup, and that will be a target at the 2025 carnival.

This year, Vivideel was brilliantly ridden by Harry Coffey to score impressively in the Carlton Draught Handicap (2350m).

The four-year-old jumped well and Coffey settled him in second place early from where he was able to dictate the tempo.

Turning for home, he asked Vivideel ($6 into $4.20 fav) to go for home and he dashed away to score by a length from Redella ($101) with Jackand ($21), two lengths away third.

Trainer Calvin McEvoy revealed post-race the pressure had be on to win at Warrnambool.

“It was so exciting,” McEvoy said.

“We only have three runners for the week, and it is a really tough place to have a winner.

“Good on the ownership group, it is a really good crew, headed by Ross Middleton, Paul Jens and Gerald Delany.

“When they bought into this horse they said they wanted to run at Warrnambool, and that was about 2-1/2 years ago so we have got the job done, and we might be back for the Warrnambool Cup next year.

“It is nice when a plan comes off and he is a progressive young stayer and is still working it out.

“We were really keen to get him out to this trip, we thought he would love it, and even further.

“I think his full brother Sign Sealed Delivered, trained by Matt Cumani, might have also won this race.

“Credit to the team, he presented in beautiful order today, and it is so much fun getting a winner here.”

McEvoy said Vivideel had ticked the soft track going today and would look to see if there was a suitable 2400 metre race in the city.

Winning jockey Harry Coffey said it had been good to get a win for the McEvoy team.

“They are really supporting me at the moment,” Coffey said.

“The owners were keen to get a win here and I know it has been a bit of plan.

“It was a good win, we had a lovely run.

“He got into a beautiful rhythm, which is the key for him that he relaxes.

“He was really strong late, and he did a really good job.

“Every time a horse got to him he found a bit more, was really strong and took a lot of pulling up.

“He is thriving at the moment, and it was awesome for him to get a win at the Warrnambool carnival.”