Kerrin Mcevoy already has a Blue Diamond Stakes win to his name and he is warming to his prospects of adding another after picking up the ride on Rampant Lion.
The Sydney-based jockey is heading to Caulfield on Saturday to partner $6 second favourite Minhaaj for John O’Shea in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate and trainer Peter Moody has been quick to snap up his services for the Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m).
Rampant Lion is still a maiden after two starts but appears to be on an upward spiral after placing in the Maribyrnong Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on debut and again behind Daumier in the Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) at Caulfield last month.
He should be suited by a distance rise to 1200 metres for Saturday’s Group 1 juvenile race and McEvoy, who won the 2011 Blue Diamond aboard Sepoy , says the feedback from the stable has been positive.
“He ran second in the colts’ Preview on Australia Day and wasn’t beaten far…. and he had a jump out at Pakenham the other day and won it quite impressively,” McEvoy said.
“There is a hope that this horse can run a good race in the Blue Diamond, which is probably going to be a minimum trip for him being by Frankel , but he’s a nice horse all the same.”
McEvoy has also been booked to ride three-year-old Extreme Warrior for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr in the Group 3 Zeditave Stakes (1200m).
Like Rampant Lion, Extreme Warrior is part-owned by Rosemont Stud and was a Group 3 winner in the spring before finishing midfield to Home Affairs in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes.
Rampant Lion is a $15 chance in an open TAB’s Blue Diamond Stakes odds in which Jacquinot holds favouritism at $5, just ahead of Lofty Strike ($6) and $8 chances Sebonack and Revolutionary Miss .
