One year after their Melbourne Cup victory with Half Yours, Tony and Calvin McEvoy are looking for a significant contribution from No Fuss in the Channel 9 Trophy (1400m) on Cup Day.

The six-year-old gelding, initially acquired by the stable and OTI Racing following a third-place debut in New Zealand in March 2024, had rattled off four successive wins in Victoria before suffering a tendon injury in April 2025, which necessitated a lengthy spell from competition.

“Sadly he bowed his tendon though it wasn’t a nasty one but we had to be careful,” Tony McEvoy commented. “In the levels of a bowed tendon, it was very light but we treated it like it was serious and gave him the time. We’ve had a really good result in it and the horse is confident in his action.”

No Fuss has since undertaken two trials over the past month, winning the most recent at Flemington over 1000 metres.

“He has trialled up nicely and I am hoping that he’s a bit older now and hope he is still as sharp because he is a horse we’re really looking to get over further trips. We had to take small steps, platform training, and get him to a level and hold on that level before then going to the next level. We feel the team have done a great job with him.”

No Fuss, a noted riser in Racing and Sports ratings, attained his peak of 102 in his last Flemington win over 1800 metres, a performance that suggested further improvement was within reach for the gelding. He enters an open renewal of the Channel 9 Trophy, where he will contend with Buccleuch, a horse with three victories from his last four outings.