Latest News

By Ray Hickson

In an ideal world Tony McEvoy would love classy filly Sunlight to have a good track for her stiffest test in Saturday’s Group 1 $2.5m Aquis TJ Smith Stakes.

Trainer Tony McEvoy (Pic: Steve Hart).

But he’s keen to test Sunlight’s credentials for this year’s $14m The Everest, run over the Randwick 1200m in October, against the 2018 trifecta and tick the soft track box along the way.

McEvoy had a close look at the Randwick surface on Friday morning and said if the track improves as expected it benefits her.

“I’m happy to run her but it is wetter ground than she’s seen before,’’ McEvoy said.

“She was okay on a soft 6 in the (2018) Slipper, she ran a really competitive race, and if it gets into that range I’d be very confident.’’

Sunlight, a winner of 10 of her 15 starts, is aiming to be the fourth three-year-old filly to win the autumn sprint grand final and the first since Melito in 2010.

It’s her first start in Sydney since she ran third in the Golden Slipper last year but she returns with a Group 1 handicap win in the Newmarket with 50.5kg and a weight-for-age win in the William Reid at Moonee Valley.

She’ll meet Osborne Bulls 1.5kg worse for beating him by three-quarters of a length at Flemington.

McEvoy has publicly voiced designs on the Everest later this year so sees the TJ as something of an audition against two-time winner Redzel and certainly the best weight-for-age sprint field assembled since the 2108 Everest.

“This is her biggest contest there’s no doubt about it,’’ he said.

“She won the Newmarket Handicap and it was an outstanding performance, she won the William Reid and the big names weren’t there but they are all here this time.

“These are hard knocking horses that have, in the main, been around for a while and it’s not their first big dance.

“It’s a big test for her, this is an Everest quality field.

“She won’t let us down, she never has, I know she’s not going to be on her preferred ground but this will tell us a lot going forward.’’

''SHE FELT FANTASTIC'' - Trainer Tony McEvoy spoke to @LizzieJelfs and was very happy with Sunlight's efforts @royalrandwick this morning, before Saturday's TJ Smith on Day One of The @Championshipsrr. pic.twitter.com/4SwDXByDJB

— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 2, 2019

Sunlight’s biggest issue might not be the ground or the opposition, it could be jumping from the outside barrier but that’s a problem for jockey Luke Currie.

“It’s not ideal when you have a lot of speed inside of you, it’s going to be a tough job for us and Luke has to make the right calls in the first furlong or so,’’ McEvoy said.

“People are telling me on a soft track 11 might be better than one.

“But she’s in great order, I’ve probably got her screwed down tighter than I’ve ever had her for this race. She’s fourth run in and I think she is ready to run the race of her life.’’

Defending TJ Smith champ Trapeze Artist was $4.40 TAB favourite on Friday with Sunlight an easing $9.50.

All the fields, form and replays for Day 1 of The Championships at Royal Randwick