Kerrin McEvoy’s family holiday doubles as Grafton Cup mission

A North Coast holiday will be punctuated by a couple of visits to the Grafton carnival for champion jockey Kerrin McEvoy this week.

McEvoy will link with two promising types from the Tom Charlton yard, starting with Mr Chaplin in Sunday’s South Grafton Cup, before a couple of days with the family will ready him for King Pedro in the Grafton Cup on Thursday.

“We were going up for a couple of days break up there, and these races work in well with it,” McEvoy said.

“They are horses racing in the winter that have the potential to go a lot further and have found the right type of races.”

“King Pedro is a stayer on the rise and as he has got out in trip, he has got better, and this race comes at the right time for him to prove himself.”

“Mr Chaplin really impressed me first-up here, and we didn’t get the best of luck last time but he really fought on. It is a good opportunity for him.”

Charlton had eyed the South Grafton Cup for imported Mr Chaplin since he came into work but he had to earn his right to the trip north to chase a Big Dance spot.

He stormed to victory in a BenchMark 78 to start his Australian career at the beginning of last month before finding the front too soon when a game third to Emirate at Rosehill on June 27.

“The way the track raced that day didn’t help him, and he was left a sitting shot late,” Charlton said. “There were a few things against him when you look back at that race and it was a really good effort.”

“We looked at this Grafton race at the beginning of the prep and he has been able to show he could be up to this challenge.”

“There is a big prize, being a Big Dance qualifier, and we certainly see him running in better races this spring.”

King Pedro was always making a trip north to finish his winter preparation before a short freshen for the spring.

He enjoyed the step up to 2400m in the Stayers Cup last time and gets in well at the weights for the Grafton Cup.

“It was either Caloundra or Grafton, but we decided to give him one more in Sydney in the Stayers Cup and that has helped him,” Charlton said. “He is a real stayer that we are looking forward to going through the grades.”