The Tony and Calvin McEvoy stable would like to return to South Australia next month and chase a little piece of racing history.
After winning the past two editions of the Listed Balaklava Cup (1600m) with Winning Partner, they would like to return ‘home’ and repeat the feat with the recently turned seven-year-old.
The McEvoy’s moved out of their training base at Angaston last month and are now based solely at Ballarat, but the Balaklava Cup on September 14 in their former homeland is firmly in their sights.
Winning Partner won both the Balaklava and Listed Murray Bridge Cup (1600m) in 2020 before again taking honours at Balaklava last year, which incidentally was his most recent success.
As part of his program towards next month’s Listed race, Winning Partner heads to Flemington on Saturday to run in The Skyline Lounge (1410m) at Flemington.
“A third Balaklava Cup, I think that is what we would like to do again,” McEvoy said.
“He won the Balaklava and Murray Bridge Cups two years ago and the Balaklava Cup last year and he’s on that path again.
“I think he’s going really well. His last two runs have been OK, pass marks, but he’s got to start stepping it up now, the old boy, and I think he can start to fire.”
Winning Partner’s three runs this campaign have all been at Flemington.
Two starts back he finished fifth to Biometric over 1420m on June 18 before a last start sixth to Tuvalu in the Listed Winter Championship Final (1600m) on July 2.
“If he wants to put his hand up for those races again in Adelaide, he needs to stand up in this race on Saturday,” McEvoy said.
“He doesn’t have to win on Saturday, he just has to be competitive.”