Leading jockey Kerrin McEvoy will be thrust straight back into the feature race spotlight when he resumes from suspension.
McEvoy’s book for his return at Wyong on Thursday has been boosted by the pick-up ride on Here Comes The Sun in the $200,000 Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic (1100m).
Suspended for his role in the controversial finish to last month’s Railway Stakes in Perth, McEvoy has six rides on Thursday.
Here Comes The Sun will be one of two runners Rosehill trainer Greg McFarlane will saddle up in the day’s feature.
His other starter is Hoffenhorry, a brilliant Rosehill trial winner who is pressing for favouritism in first markets.
“Hoffenhorry has always been an early runner whereas Here Comes The Sun is more of a late two-year-old but he is doing enough to go around,” McFarlane said.
Both youngsters are by Haradasun and represent McFarlane’s first serious foray into the yearling sale market.
“On what he did in his trial I’m hoping Hoffenhorry is above average,” McFarlane said.
“But there have been plenty of two-year-olds who win their trials by 10 (lengths) and not put out on race day.”
Breeders’ Plate runner-up Hidden Warrior and the Adelaide-trained Little Critter opened favourite at $4 with Hoffenhorry on the next line at $5.
Hidden Warrior hasn’t raced since he was beaten a head by Pierro in the Breeders’ Plate at Randwick on October 1 but confirmed his fitness with a Newcastle barrier trial win three weeks ago.
Glyn Schofield takes the mount on Little Critter after riding the Tony McEvoy-trained youngster to a Warwick Farm barrier trial win in fast time last week.
Pre-post betting on next month’s Magic Million 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast has Hidden Warrior at $17, Little Critter at $18 and Hoffenhorry a $23 chance.
In a major reshuffle to betting on the $2 million race after last weekend’s results, Queensland youngsters Sizzling and Discreet are vying for favouritism.
AAP TURF