Team McEvoy takes three into the Maribyrnong Trial

The Darley stallion had two step out at the first official trials in Sydney, both of which won, and McEvoy’s colt Ankaa was his lone product to appear at last week’s straight-track jumpouts at Flemington, which are preludes to this Saturday’s $175,000 Listed Darley Maribyrnong Trial Stakes (1000m).

Ankaa scored a determined win his 800m jumpout, which only heightened McEvoy’s desire to see what Anamoe’s progeny can do under race conditions.

“His horses look like they want to be racehorses,” McEvoy said.

“I just haven’t got enough of them. I love them.”

Ankaa showed a willingness to find the line in last week’s jumpout, when he ran down speedy Lindsay Park filly Soldi in a time of 46.67 seconds which was the quickest of the three trials.

“We’ve just got to keep a bit of a lid on him, but he looks to have pretty nice ability,” McEvoy said of Ankaa.

McEvoy and his co-trainer, son Calvin, have half the field for the Maribyrnong Trial with Ankaa joined by another of last Thursday’s jumpout winners Silent Intent and Maalefushi in the field that is down to six after the early scratching of Capitano.

Below is a look at this year’s field, where they came from and how they got to this year’s race.

Race 1 - Darley Maribyrnong Trial Stakes (1000m) - 12:25pm

Listed. Of $175,000. 1st $105,000, 2nd $31,500, 3rd $15,750, 4th $7,875, 5th $4,375, 6th $3,500, 7th $3,500, 8th $3,500.

For 2YO Set Weights. Apprentices cannot claim.

1 – ANKAA

Trainers: Tony & Calvin McEvoy

Jockey: Harry Coffey

The first of the McEvoys’ three runners was a $270,000 Magic Millions weanling, who later sold for $300,000 at the Gold Coast Yearling Sale, and is out of the Exceed And Excel mare Starry, who is a half-sister to Group 2-winning 2YO Zululand.

2 – CAPITANO

(Scratched)

3 – PROVERB

Trainer: Michael Freedman

Jockey: Blake Shinn

The Sydney colt is the only runner who did not step out at last week’s straight-track jumpouts, but outlined his talent at the first official trials in Sydney on September 21 when he unleashed an impressive turn of foot late to score a soft win in an 850m trial. Like all others in the race, the son of Written Tycoon was sold at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January, where he sold for $700,000 – which makes him the most expensive horse in this year’s Maribyrnong Trial – and he’s from a female family that boasts a bit of stamina with dam Shines Her Light a half-sister to Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) winner Ventura Storm.

4 – SILENT INTENT

Trainers: Tony & Calvin McEvoy

Jockey: Jye McNeil

The first of four fillies in the race, the daughter of Hellbent also hails from a European female side with a bit of strength to the pedigree with her dam Silent Monarch out of a half-sister to Epsom Derby placegetter Astrology. A $190,000 yearling, Silent Intent was an on-pace winner of one of last Thursday’s jumpouts in 46.62secs and was a narrow winner over stablemates and Maribyrnong Trial rivals Maalefushi and Ankaa in a steeplegrass jumpout at Flemington on September 11.

5 – BELLA DIVINA

Trainers: Ben, Will & JD Hayes

Jockey: Daniel Stackhouse

The Lindsay Park filly could not have been more impressive winning a 600m Pakenham jumpout on Sept 15 then came to Flemington last week, where she finished third behind Silent Intent. She raced a little greenly over the concluding stages there, and it’s interesting to note she’ll have a lugging bit and noseroll on in Saturday’s race. A daughter of proven sire All Too Hard, Bella Divina is out of a three-quarter-sister to three-time Group 1 winner Beiwacht and cost $200,000.

6 – MAALEFUSHI

Trainers: Tony & Calvin McEvoy

Jockey: Luke Currie

The daughter of Pierata split stablemates Silent Intent and Ankaa in her trial on September 11, when less than neck separated them on the line and each appeared to have a bit in hand, and she was again a narrow second to Musandam in her trial last week. It’s fitting that the $260,000 yearling is debuting this weekend as her dam, Catch Me, was a winner of the Gimcrack Stakes (1000m) – which will be run at Randwick in Sydney this weekend – at her racetrack debut.

7 – MUSANDAM

Trainer: John McArdle

Jockey: Jamie Mott

The daughter of Snitzel made the trip from Mornington last week for a look at the straight and impressed in winning her jumpout, albeit in the slowest time – 47.16scs – of the three 2YO trials, when not fully extended. That was her second jumpout win, having impressed in an 800m hitout at Sandown at her only earlier appearance. She is out of Qafila, a daughter of American stallion Tapit who won the Group 1 South Australian Derby (2500m), and cost $470,000 on the Gold Coast in January.