Melbourne Cup winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy will replace the suspended Craig Williams on Golden Slipper winner She Will Reign in the Group 1 $500,000 Moir Stakes (1000m) at The Valley on September 29.
Jockey Kerrin McEvoy, above, will ride She Will Reign in the Moir Stakes at The Valley. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Williams was set to takes over from regular rider Ben Melham who will be unable to strip down to the 50kg that She Will Reign will carry under the weight for age scale for a three year old filly in the Moir Stakes.
McEvoy received the call up after Williams was suspended for twenty-three meetings after pleading guilty to causing interference that saw the Darren Weir trained Limestone clipping heels and dislodging Damian Lane at the 100m in the Group 2 $200,000 Danehill Stakes (1200m) at Flemington last Saturday.
Williams will miss three Group 1 meetings and will be free to return to the saddle after the Turnbull Stakes Race Day on October 7.
She Will Reign was spelled after winning the Group 1 $3.5m Longines Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on March 18 with Melham in the saddle and trainer Gary Portelli has given the Manhattan Rain filly one barrier trial since for a second over 800m at Warwick Farm on August 25.
McEvoy will get a feel of She Will Reign before the Moir Stakes when he partners her in a 900m barrier trial at Rosehill on Tuesday.
“She has done very well and will have a solid hit-out on Tuesday,” Portelli said.
“I’m very happy with her condition. We have weighed her at 494 kilos and I expect her to race at 490.”
She Will Reign is already confirmed to fill the slot owned by Yu Long Investments in the $10m The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 14.
In early betting for the Moir Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au She Will Reign is the second pick at $4 just behind the Peter and Paul Snowden trained Russian Revolution while in The Everest the filly is listed at $7.50 in a congested top of the order market.
Early market order for the Moir Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3.80 Russian Revolution, $4 She Will Reign, $8 Redzel, $9 Malaguerra, $11 Ball Of Muscle, Heatherly, $13 Ability, Faatinah, Hellbent, $15 Houtzen, Sheidel, Terravista, $17 Missrock, Super Cash, Supido, Viddora, $21 or better the rest.
