After striking with Prestar midweek, trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy will launch a two-pronged Metropolitan bid at Rosehill this Saturday, headlined by the early favourite for the Group 1 staying test.
The father-son duo will saddle up 2024 South Australian Derby winner Coco Sun along with progressive stayer Half Yours in the Mounties Group Handicap (1500m). Both are on a path towards The Metropolitan (2400m) on October 4.
Half Yours has been a revelation since joining the McEvoy yard earlier this year, winning three of his five outings. His most recent effort was a dominant 4-1/2 length victory in the Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) in July.
“He has been incredible. He’s exciting us,” Tony McEvoy said.
“He has come through the benchmarks and then he won that Caloundra Cup really impressively.
“I don’t want to be rude about the race but I’m not sure where that sits when you start talking about ‘Metrops’ and those races, but the market has got him favourite for it so I am very buoyed by that and the horse is fabulous.
“He hasn’t been out of training so he will run in that race on Saturday and then go to the Kingston Town (Stakes) and ‘Metrop’.”
Half Yours has been backed into $7 favouritism for The Metropolitan and is also a $4 top pick for Rosehill, despite drawing barrier 20.
Stablemate Coco Sun was also handed a wide alley in barrier 18. McEvoy admitted the recent wet weather had already disrupted their plans, and both horses needed to get their campaigns underway.
“We have tinkered a little bit with their preparations already with the changing of the trials so I don’t think I can change again, otherwise I am going to get too far behind with them,” he said.
“We will probably run them. Barriers win you races, don’t they? But I’ve got Ashley Morgan and the young apprentice (Braith Nock) that is riding beautifully.
“Those guys are making good decisions so I’ll just let them ride the horse and hope for a bit of luck.”
Coco Sun, who hasn’t won since her South Australian Derby triumph, nonetheless held her own in strong races during the spring. McEvoy said she was at her best on rain-affected tracks and pointed to her unplaced run in the Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) as evidence she struggles on firm ground.
“She has got to start doing it race day. I couldn’t be happier with her and all the data we do is telling us she is as good as when she was ‘good’,” McEvoy said.
Coco Sun remains on the same path towards The Metropolitan, where she is currently rated a $26 chance.
Punters keen to follow Half Yours and Coco Sun on their Metropolitan journeys can find odds and offers across top betting sites.
