The Stayers Cup at Rosehill today turned into a hard fought slog on a very heavy track with race favourite Adroitly out plugging the solidly backed Roi D’Jeu.

Adroitly won a hard slog in the Stayers Cup - photo © Steve Hart

Kerrin McEvoy had to work hard on Adroitly at the end of the 3200m to overhaul the leader Roi D’Jeu who wouldn’t go down without a fight after Brenton Avdulla nursed the six year old all the way down the straight.

It seemed to take forever for the Peter Snowden trained stayer to gain the upper hand but McEvoy was able to drive Adroitly to the line to get the prize.

Three year old Reigning was given a good run just off the pace by Glyn Schofield and tried hard in the run to the line in the heavy conditions to finish third.

Snowden will now give Adroitly a well deserved break and now that he has proved he can handle the 3200m will consider next year’s Sydney Cup for the four year old.

“I thought watching the race Kerrin thought he was going to pick him up quicker than what he did, he knew what he was doing and won the race,” Snowden said.

“He’s no world beater, no champion but he is one of the most consistent we have and it was a great result today.”

“He’ll have a good sleep tonight and that’ll do him I think. In the Autumn next year the Chairman’s and a race like the Sydney Cup on a soft track might be the races for him,” he said.

McEvoy gave Adroitly a quiet run just worse than midfield and started to make his move at the 600m to chase the leader but it took all the way down the soggy Rosehill straight to pick up and pass Roi D’Jeu right on the finish line.