Whyte confirmed for Alpine Eagle
Tony McEvoy is thrilled to have acquired the services of Douglas Whyte for Alpine Eagle in Saturday’s Australian Guineas at Flemington.
The champion Hong Kong-based South African jockey will partner last Saturday’s brilliant Group 2 Autumn Classic (1800m) winner should he back up in the $500,000 Group 1.
McEvoy said he had been forced to search beyond his normal options for a Guineas rider with his regular Melbourne-based jockeys - including Damien Oliver, who partnered Alpine Eagle to victory last week - already committed to a Guineas mount.
“He’s a world champion and a 13-time winner of the championship in Hong Kong, which some would say is the pinnacle of world racing up there, so it’s very exciting for me to have a guy like him willing to come and ride him,” McEvoy told Racing.com’s Racing Ahead on Tuesday morning.
“Because of the late decision, the jockeys that I use in Melbourne were all booked to ride.
“There were a few of them that would have loved to have ridden him, but they were committed to their decision, as they should be, so it just left me at a bit of a loose end.
“There were a few jockeys here that wanted to ride, very good jockeys, but they just don’t do a lot of riding for me. So I discussed it with the owners and we decided that we would look outside the square.
“Douglas was very excited about getting the ride. When we rang him he was straight on the front foot and got straight in touch with the club to see if he could gain permission to come and ride here because he has to be back to ride in Hong Kong on Sunday.
“His willingness and keenness to ride the horse was a great tonic for me.”
McEvoy said odds were firming that Alpine Eagle would take his place in the Guineas, for which he is the $5 second favourite behind Kermadec ($3.80).
“It’s looking likely,” McEvoy said when asked of the chances of him running. “I’ve just got to Flemington now and he really seems to be up on his toes and stimulated by being there and certainly showing no ill effects from his run on the weekend.”
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