June arrives in May

Recent Tony McEvoy stable addition Yulong June indicated he was a three-year-old of potential with a maiden win at Benalla on Monday, May 6.

After a poor debut for the stable at Pakenham, Yulong June was on his best behaviour with an all-the-way win in the Benalla Timber Products Maiden (1206m).

A $13 chance, the gelding won eased down by three-quarters of a length from Polanco ($2.05 fav), with Café Tortoni ($16), a length away third.

McEvoy’s Melbourne stable representative Darren Mcleod said a change of tactics worked well.

“He wanted to over-race and fight Luke last time,” Mcleod said.

“Today Tony told Luke to let him go at his own speed and not fight him.

“He kept going, back in trip, and it proved the right move.

“He’s still a work in progress and we are working him out.

“He was having only his second start for us but has shown enough potential to suggest he could be a good horse.

“There are still a few tricks to work out with him, but he is worth the work.”

Winning jockey Luke Currie said it had been a “train wreck” last start.

“It wasn’t going to take much to improve on his last run,” Currie said.

“Last time because he had been going a bit hard, we tried to get him to relax but he got behind them, over-raced and got a lot wrong.

“Today, Tony thought to take him back in trip with a bit better tempo, but he still jumped and put himself there without doing anything.

“He still got it a bit wrong, hung and wanted to roll around a bit and do a bit wrong in the straight.

“He is definitely a work in progress but is a nice horse and when he learns what is all about will win nicer races than this.”