News

Jackson Heads To $500,000 Inglis Nursery

17th Nov 2015

The Guardian - by Andrew Garvey - Saturday 14 November, 2015

Tony McEvoy is hoping to get a Christmas bonus for the connections of Jackson after the gelding made a winning debut, much to the chagrin of punters in the listed Merson Cooper Stakes (1000m) at Sandown.

McEvoy said he told his nephew Kerrin McEvoy to "ride the horse, not the race, he's not a 1000m horse and he did it beautifully" on Jackson, which will be better suited over more distance and the plan worked out perfectly.

"My two-year-olds at home are a bit nippy for him but at the top of the hills at Kildalton Park in Angaston, he's the one doing the big work," said McEvoy of Jackson's strength at the finish.

From the outside barrier, Kerrin McEvoy allowed Jackson to drift back in the field in the early stages but he was able to stay in touch and had some cover out wide.

Jackson ($16 to $21) was not too far off the leaders at the 400m but struggling to make ground, before starting to charge over the final 200m and he got up in the last stride to grab fellow outsider Soviet Secret ($31) to win by a half head, with Emphatically ($20) a short neck away in third placing.

"Obviously the speed was on and having drawn outside we could tack on closely with cover," Kerrin McEvoy said.

"He's a big raw individual so he really enjoyed the uphill finish.

"Obviously he's a nice horse going forward because he doesn't know what he's there for yet."

Having recouped the majority of his $76,000 purchase price at the Inglis Classic Sale with the win, trainer McEvoy now plans to send Jackson to Sydney to chase more riches.

As a graduate of that sale Jackson, a son of Not A Single Doubt, is eligible for the $500,000 Inglis Nursery at Randwick over 1000 metres on December 12.

The disappointment of the race was the Robbie Laing-trained Missrock ($2.60 favourite) which was struggling out the back all the way before finishing second last.

Her rider Mark Zahra said she felt awkward in her action and the daughter of Fastnet Rock will be spelled.