3 minute read

Gelding looking to follow up Goodwood victory

Co-trainer Calvin McEvoy admits barrier 13 may be less than ideal for last-start The Goodwood (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Savatoxl (Kuroshio) in the Kingsford-Smith Cup (Gr 1, 1300m) but he remains confident the five-year-old can still make his presence felt on Saturday at Eagle Farm.

"It's not ideal, you would love to draw in and get forward, he loves to find the rail, so it makes it harder," McEvoy told Racing.com. 

"It's another tough field and we are not on our home deck this time, we've had to travel, but sometimes that can also be in your favour.

"I have full respect for the opposition and Barend (Vorster) has got good confidence in the horse."

The stable was forced to float the five-year-old north after a delay with planes into Queensland last week, with the gelding arriving on Monday.

"We broke it up with three decent stops and he arrived yesterday," McEvoy explained.

"He has travelled quite a lot and always travelled well.

"He could possibly stay for the Stradbroke and there are a couple of other options as well.

"We won't hesitate to just stop and look at the spring with him if he shows that as well."

Savatoxl has only raced in the clockwise direction once, when he finished last in the 2019 Fred Best Classic (Gr 3, 1400m).

"His only start on it was a bit inconclusive and most of his work has been on that leg since The Goodwood," McEvoy said.

"He's really well and hasn't missed an oat.

"He is super and has been thriving out of the run and there is still some improvement there.”