Cranbourne Cup to Folkswood

Darryl Sherer - Sunday October 15

Kerrin McEvoy climbed the Everest on Saturday and reached the summit with a copybook ride to deliver the Listed $300,000 Cranbourne Cup (2025m) on English import Folkswood on Sunday.

Kerrin McEvoy completed a big weekend in the Cranbourne Cup. Photo: Darryl Sherer

Jumping one from the outside, McEvoy was able to cross and settle fifth with cover turning out of the home straight the first time.

Grey Lion had set a steady speed to the 600m but McEvoy pressed forward and drove Folkswood alongside Grey Lion around the home turn, the pair clear of their rivals.

Folkswood ($4.40 fav) gradually asserted his authority and drew clear inside the final 100m to defeat the fast finishing Berisha ($18) by 2 3/4-lengths with Grey Lion ($31) a head away third.

The Godolphin-owned Folkswood is entered for the Caulfield Cup and the Cox Plate and was racing in Australia for the first time.

McEvoy told Racing Victoria said he enjoyed the perfect trail on the Charlie Appleby-trained son of Exceed And Excel

"He's a real nice horse with a high cruising speed," McEvoy said. "I wanted to be in the first three and I was able to slot in behind them and get a nice trail.

"When Guardini came around me down the back it got my horse a little bit keen and then when that horse went forward I was able to follow him and my horse was more comfortable."

Folkswood had won over 1800m at Meydan in February and was racing for the first time since finishing fifth of seven in the Group III Diomed Stakes over one mile one furlong at Epsom on June 3.

McEvoy said he was confident the Cranbourne Cup trip would not be an issue for the five-year-old.

"He made a nice sustained run from the half mile onwards and I knew he was going to cope with that from what Charlie had said and watching his replays," McEvoy said.

"The race worked out perfectly for today - Charlie's left a little bit of improvement in him coming out here so it's nice to get him off the board today."

Advertisment
More Reading...
Applications Open For TBA’s Stud Start Program
Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA) has today opened applications for its successful Stud Start program, which provides a gateway for people with little or no previous experience to enter the breeding industry.
World’s Highest Rated Mare Set To Make History at National
Champion sprinter Imperatriz, currently rated the world’s best mare on the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, will be offered at next month’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast.
G1 Pedigree Watch – Champion Sires- Good Nicks and Not So Good Nicks
The weekend produced some great racing in South Australia and Hong Kong with four individual new Group I winners emerging that involve a number of champion sires so let’s take a closer look at the pedigrees of some super interesting horses including 'a unique beast'.
OTI Racing Win G3 Prix de Barbeville
The OTI Racing colours were in winning form at Longchamp where progressive stayer Sevenna’s Knight bolted away with the Group III Prix de Barbeville (3000m) and while it might be still April, connections are thinking Melbourne Cup.
New G1 Starspangledbanner - Beauty Eternal Wins Champion’s Mile
It was supposed to be a fairytale farewell for Hong Kong superstar Golden Sixty in the Group I Champion’s Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday, but Zac Purton rewrote the script on Starspangledbanner gelding Beauty Eternal leading all the way to win.
Sires With Winners - Sunday April 28
Here is the full list of 65 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Coolmore Announce Fees for 2024
Coolmore have announced their 2024 roster with 13 outstanding stallions and while perennial favourite Fastnet Rock has earned a well deserved retirement and boom young gun Justify (USA) will remain in Kentucky, there is still a wealth of talent and diversity on offer for Australian breeders seeking to produce their next champion with not one but two Golden Slipper winners in the mix.
$150,000 Tassort Colt Tops HTBA Sale at Riverside
A “natural 2YO from a fast family’’ topped today’s HTBA Yearling Sale at Riverside in a result that was “far and away more’’ than the vendor was expecting.
Super Easy (NZ) to Stand at Roselee Park
Former Hallmark Stud stallion Super Easy (NZ) has arrived at Roselee Park in Western Australia where he will stand for an introductory service fee of $5,500 (inc GST).
Victorian Owners and Breeders in Celebration Mode on Saturday
The other feature race, the $500,000 IRT VOBIS Platinum Guineas (1600m), went the way of classy filly Elphinstone (Street Boss x Inflection), who avenged her defeat in last year’s Showdown for the Tony and Calvin McEvoy training team.