Next NSW Race

Latest News

McEvoy Booked For Icebath In Coolmore Classic

Top jockey Kerrin McEvoy will attempt to give leading Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup his own slice of Group 1 glory at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday week.

Widdup has confirmed McEvoy’s booking for his classy mare in the $600,000 Coolmore Classic (1500m) on the opening day of the Golden Slipper carnival.

Icebath (Tom Sherry) scores at Royal Randwick. Image by Bradley Photographers

While McEvoy has ridden a multitude of Group 1 winners, Widdup has been training for less than four years and has had only a handful of runners at racing’s elite level.

Last spring’s photo-finish Golden Eagle runner-up Icebath, on the back of a splendid current preparation, gives him a real chance to clinch an important Group 1 breakthrough.

Apprentice Tom Sherry partnered Icebath in the $7.5m Golden Eagle – run at the same track and over the same distance as the Coolmore Classic – and also in her two placings this time in work; the latest when third to Queenslander Krone in the Group 2 Guy Walter Proven Thoroughbreds Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick last Saturday.

“Nothing against Tom whatsoever, but it’s a Group 1 race and Kerrin was available and his manager didn’t hesitate to accept the Coolmore ride,” Widdup explained. “Kerrin rode the mare in both her trials before her two recent runs, so he knows her and that is obviously an advantage.”

Icebath had a hard run and battled on tenaciously in the Guy Walter last Saturday, and Widdup reported she has come through that final lead-up in good order: “She ate up on Saturday night, so the run hasn’t harmed her at all,” he said.

While Icebath has won on good ground, she is an accomplished wet tracker (her narrow defeat by Colette in the Golden Eagle was on a Heavy 10), and Widdup not surprisingly has cast his eye over the long-range weather forecast.

“There might be some rain next week, and it would be most welcome from our viewpoint,” Widdup said. “While Icebath is effective on good ground, she is even more effective on heavy ground.”

McEvoy has been placed in the last two Coolmore Classics, on former Newcastle stablemates Princess Posh (2019) and Miss Fabulass last year – and both were $41 outsiders.

The Latest Racing News

Osborne Out To Parlay Weekend Cup Success (Corowa Monday)

By Graeme White Like any fledgling trainer, Olivia Osborne has aspirations of winning feature races, being consistent, and making a ...
Read More

Neil Evans' Tips For Muswellbrook (Monday)

By Neil Evans Track Soft 5 and rail True Race 1 - 1:35PM ARROWFIELD COUNTRY BOOSTED MAIDEN PLATE (1000 METRES) ...
Read More

Shorts Reboot Puts Jedibeel On Everest Back Foot

By Ray Hickson Trainer Brad Widdup concedes Jedibeel will need to produce something special in Saturday’s Group 2 The Shorts ...
Read More

Farmers To Kick Up Their Heels At Wagga's Aggie Raceday (Saturday)

By Mark Brassel The farmers will be out in force at Wagga’s huge Aggies Raceday on Saturday – regarded as ...
Read More

John Schell's Tips For Bathurst Cup Day (Sunday)

By John Schell Selections based on a soft track Race 1 - 1:45PM ELDERS LIVESTOCK BATHURST HUGH BOWMAN MAIDEN PLATE ...
Read More
Loading...
Racing NSW Apps
View
Mobile Version
Contact
Forms
Information
Industry Links