McEvoy claims Eggar honours
Kerrin McEvoy demonstrated just why he is in such demand these days with an well-timed ride to land the feature Thomas Eggar Stakes at Goodwood.
Fresh from a 2,817-1 treble at Sandown on Thursday night, the Australian can often count on the patronage of locally-based trainer John Dunlop when the likes of Saeed bin Suroor and Sir Michael Stoute are not knocking on his door.
And it was Dunlop who provided his mount on Rock Anthem in the £11,000 handicap over 10 furlongs.
Aureate set a fiendish gallop but came back to the field with two furlongs to run, while McEvoy was biding his time in behind waiting for the gaps to arrive.
They did so, leaving Rock Anthem to lead inside the final furlong and while Mr Aviator was a real danger, the 8-1 victor had more than the official three-quarters of a length in hand.
“Kerrin is a very good jockey and a very nice young man,” praised Dunlop.
“He’s a very nice, straightforward horse and he did it well. We could not be more pleased.”
Ian Mongan took over to provide the Arundel maestro with a double, courtesy of 9-4 favourite Contentious in division two of the Goodwood Flying School Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.
Having shown useful form as a juvenile, she readily took this by a length and three-quarters but is unlikely to fulfil her entry in the Darley Irish Oaks.
“I don’t think she’ll run – we’ll just take small steps at the moment,” reported Dunlop.
Ballroom Dancer’s fancy footwork at the start saw her unship John Egan but that was not enough to prevent her from taking division one.
The 11-4 shot cheekily held off the frontrunning Medicea Sidera to provide another victory for the Jeremy Noseda yard.
The trainer said: “She has a good pedigree and hopefully that will be enough to warrant a place at her owner’s stud.”
A picture postcard day at the beautiful Sussex track provided Marcus Tregoning with his first two-year-old winner of the season as King’s Icon did it the hard way in the Casco EBF Maiden Stakes.
The 11-8 favourite, second here on his debut, took things along from the front and that is exactly where he stayed throughout.
By the line Martin Dwyer still had two lengths in hand from Alsadeek, who made eyecatching late strides.
“He would be the most forward of my two-year-olds,” said Tregoning.
“I think he would have been suited by a bit more cover and he ran a bit green but he has shown plenty and there is more to come.
“Where he’ll run, I’m not sure.”
With Ryan Moore riding his first winner since returning from injury at Brighton, Logsdail (7-2) gave his family dual reasons to celebrate after George Baker pounced late to take the Goodwood Aviation Stakes.
“That was perfect, it makes the job worthwhile,” beamed Moore’s father and victorious trainer Gary.
“It was nice ground for Logsdail and maybe we’ll have to bring him back for the Glorious meeting – there might be one race he can get in.”
Baker looked like producing a carbon copy ride on Binanti in the Goodwood Aero Club Stakes but was not reckoning on the determination of Barney McGrew (8-1) and Oscar Urbina, who trumped him by just under a length.
Trainer James Toller said: “He always gets wound up and the boys at home have done a good job with him. Seven furlongs is undoubtedly his trip.”
Murrin (9-1) atoned for an unlucky defeat at Epsom on his previous outing by racing away with the International Bureau of Aviation Stakes.
Dane O’Neill had to switch Terry Mills’ charge wide into the centre of the track for a late run but hit the front with a good 100 yards left of the mile event to steal a length and three-quarters from Common Purpose.
Richard Quinn maintained his fine form to get Milton Harris’ Commemoration Day (9-2), fresh from a jumping success, home by half a length in the Goodwood Aircraft Engineering Stakes.
