Mist clears away

A gear change enabled consistent mare Shrouded In Mist to notch her fourth race win at Sandown Lakeside on Saturday, June 15.

Trainer Tony McEvoy took the blinkers off the mare and she showed her appreciation by running home strongly to score an easy win in the Ladbrokes Cash In Handicap (1600m).

A $6 chance and ridden by Craig Williams, Shrouded In Mist scored a 2-1/2 length win from Pria Eclipse ($10) with Global Sanction ($5), 1-3/4 lengths away third.

The mare’s victory took McEvoy’s season total to 38 wins in Melbourne with only David Hayes’ Lindsay Park stable at Euroa (59) ahead of him. He moved ahead of Ciaron Maher and Dave Eustace (37) and James Cummings (36).

Last season, McEvoy finished ninth on the table with 21 Melbourne winners.

It has been a season of highs for McEvoy also as he has managed to train six Group 1 winners with the triple earned by his magic filly Sunlight his clear standout performer.

McEvoy’s Group 1 winners were Sunlight (Coolmore Stud Stakes, Newmarket Handicap, Williams Reid Stakes), Oohood (Flight Stakes), Manuel (Orr Stakes) and Despatch (Goodwood).

Shrouded In Mist will never get to match Sunlight’s record but she can rise to black type in the right conditions, according to jockey Craig Williams.

After settling midfield and wide with cover, Shrouded In Mist came the widest on the home turn before racing away.

McEvoy’s Melbourne foreman Michael Shepherdson said the mare settled back with the blinkers off which enabled her to finish the race off strongly.

He also explained Shrouded In Mist had responded to being sent over a few hurdles two mornings in her build-up to today.

‘’It just keeps her interested and switched-on and I don’t think she’s ever raced better,’’ Shepherdson said.

Shrouded In Mist has now had 15 starts earning $137,300 in stakes.