Six Winners for Mighty McEvoy

Wednesday, 28 August 2002 00:00

Lindsay Park’s head trainer Tony McEvoy dominated today’s Balaklava Cup meeting in South Australia by training six of the eight winners.

Known for their dominance at the track which is about an hour north of Adelaide, McEvoy was able to equal the Lindsay Park record for the number of winners at a Balaklava meeting.

Today was also the biggest day for McEvoy since he took over the reins as the head trainer at Lindsay Park about 18 months ago.

The day could not have started in better shape for McEvoy as he saddled up the first five winners on the card. Winner number six came in the last of eight events.

The Danehill three-year-old Zibellino wrapped up the huge day for McEvoy when he showed plenty of fight to score in great style.

"It’s been a very exciting day," McEvoy said after winner number six.

McEvoy said it was unfortunate he couldn’t win the feature event, but things just didn’t go with him in the big race.

""My horses didn’t have any luck in the Cup," McEvoy said. "Had McBeal actually been ridden for luck back on the inside she would have bolted in."

He said that one of today’s winners, Hawk Eye, had impressed in his second consecutive win and he was ready to face tougher class.

"He’ll be running in Adelaide or Melbourne soon and he will be given his chance in better races."

"Earlier in his career he was actually an early favourite for the Sydney Cup," he added. "But since then he has had a couple of tendon injuries."

The leading trainer added that he also had a big wrap on one of his beaten runners at today’s Balaklava meeting.

"Although he didn’t win today I have a good opinion of Mount Zaskar," McEvoy said. "He’s got some good wins in him, that’s for sure."

McEvoy also added that the effort of the previously unbeaten Pompous in his return at Moonee Valley had impressed him.

"He had a lot of pressure after being off the scene a long time," McEvoy said. "The run was super and just near the end his condition gave out and then he was cleaned up near the line."

PIC - Quentin Lang.