Balaabel brilliant

Trainers Tony & Calvin McEvoy celebrated a Murray Bridge treble when quality filly Balaabel powered to victory on Wednesday, April 8.

The McEvoys won earlier with Monteferrante and Daniyah, the latter raced in the same interests as Balaabel.

A well backed $1.90 favourite, the three-year-old filly, ridden by Jake Toeroek, came from well back in the field of 14 to storm home and score a 1-1/4 length win in the TAB Class 2 Handicap (1400m) from Mr Ranger ($17) with Bad Moon Rising ($5), a half-length away third.

“I was never worried, even when she was well back on the home turn,” Tony McEvoy said.

“She is a very good filly.

“What an effort. A three-year-old filly, first up at 1400 metres without a trial, taking on older horses and carrying 59.5kg.

“She is already stakes-placed, and I believe there is a stakes win in her future.”

McEvoy said the Listed H C Nitschke Stakes (1400m) at Morphettville Parks on April 25 and the Listed AdelaIde Galvanising Adelaide Guineas (1600m) at Morphettville on May 9 were possible targets for the filly.

Balaabel now has two wins and three placings from just eight starts but the trainers believe she is ready to stamp her mark on the racing landscape.

“She was always going to be best at three and four.

“She is a valuable filly that can add to that price tag.”

McEvoy said he had been impressed with Toeroek’s patience.

“Credit to Cal, he said that Jake was riding well about a month ago.

“When we had a need to find a jockey, we gave him an opportunity and his strike rate has been excellent.

“Today he followed instructions perfectly and the filly was good enough to win.

“Barend is our stable jockey but it is good to have the likes of Todd (Pannell), Stubby (Jason Holder) and Jake to call on.”

Balaabel is owned by Emirates Park and was purchased for $520,000 at the 2018 Australian Easter Yearling Sale.