It won’t atone for missing the Golden Eagle win on Skyhook, but a Five Diamonds victory aboard Verona Rose will provide Kerrin McEvoy with a consolation of sorts.
The regular rider of the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained Skyhook, McEvoy was ruled out of partnering him in last weekend’s $10 million feature due to a whip-related suspension.
Watching Skyhook triumph from afar, McEvoy admits it was a bittersweet moment, but in typical fashion, he’s responded with graciousness and perspective.
“It was disappointing for me not to be there on the big day, but at the same time it was pleasing to see the horse go out and get the job done,” McEvoy said.
“Gerald and Sterling and myself, we were all of the opinion he’d gone to a new level, that this time in was going to be his time to shine, and that’s exactly what he’s shown.
“I cracked open a beer, and then I watched poor old Harry Coffey hit the deck (on Derby Day at Flemington), and I came to the realisation it’s not all that bad.”
McEvoy was back in the saddle at Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day and came away with a win in one of the support races on the Big Dance card.
But a victory on the Gary Portelli-trained Verona Rose in Saturday’s $2 million Five Diamonds (1800m) would go a long way to easing the pain of his Golden Eagle miss.
“You obviously get the bit between your teeth and want to get back out there,” McEvoy said.
“I know Gary has got her in really good form and she deserves her chance in a race like that.”
A dual stakes winner at Group level, Verona Rose finished third to Skyhook first-up in the Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) before consecutive placings in the Golden Pendant (1400m) and The Invitation (1400m).
She was doing her best work late both times, and while yet to win beyond a mile, she was only beaten three lengths in the 2025 ATC Oaks (2400m), giving McEvoy reason to believe the 1800m will be no issue.
“She showed enough promise to go out in trip as a three-year-old, so you’d think she could handle that, no problem at all,” he said.
In the day’s other features, McEvoy will partner Modella for Lee and Cherie Curtis in the Group 2 Hot Danish Stakes (1400m), and Exo Velocity for Chris Waller in the $1 million Golden Gift (1100m).
The youngster was an impressive winner of the Kirkham Plate (1000m) on debut last month, and while McEvoy hasn’t been aboard Exo Velocity since, he’s backing Waller’s judgement to continue with the filly’s campaign.
“She gave me a nice feel, and she quickened really well. She’s an exciting filly for the future,” he said.
“She’s a Magic Millions filly so it must set up for her well to run in this and then potentially come back for something up there.
“She’s got to go out there and do it all right again at Rosehill, which is a trickier circuit for a high-pressure two-year-old race, but she’s going the right way.”
