FATHER and son trainers, Tony and Calvin McEvoy, claimed their first Coleraine Cup when smart six-year-old galloper, Sign Of Ussuri, grabbed gallant grey Sir Simon for a narrow victory last Friday.
Now fully operational in Ballarat, the stable is experiencing good results on country tracks they rarely visited in the past.
In front of a good-sized crowd, the 2021 Gawler Cup winner landed the $50,000 cup after a lovely ride by Madison Lloyd.
Victory was also sweet for Lloyd, who has only just returned to riding after having a break from the sport.
Sign Of Ussuri started a well backed $3.60 second favourite, but had to work hard to run down the Tasmanian visitor, Sir Simon, by a neck with race favourite, Adelaide Ace, a further length back in third position.
The highlight of the meeting was Linda Meech’s form in the saddle riding the first four winners.
Meech’s riding clinic, included winning on Greta Moon for local trainer, James Bull.
Bull who has only had the mare for two starts, had to sweat hard on the result as longshot, Bavarian Lady, got very close on the line.
Meech was also able to make it back-to-back wins on Soobmerged for trainer, Belinda O’Loughlin.
After being winless for 14 starts, the four-year-old has started to repay his patient owners.
Meech’s other wins were on Tafika and Fighting Sweet.
Not to be outdone, Jarrod Fry continued on from his great 2021-22 season with a double.
He scored on Ornamental Lady for Daniel Bowman and the impressive Henry The Lion for former jumps jockey, Richie Cully.
The club is to be commended on the state of the track which also catered for 10 jumpouts on the Monday.
Results
Race 1 Coleraine Hotel Maiden Plate 1400m - 1st Tafika (Linda Meech/Ciaron Maher & David Eustace) $2.70f; 2nd Parvati Party (Dean Yendall/Matthew Williams) $5.50; 3rd Ready Set Tap (Laura Lafferty/Daniel Bowman) $15.
Race 2 Josh Lewis Accounting Maiden Plate 1600m - 1st Greta Moon (Linda Meech/James Bull) $2.50; 2nd Bavarian Lady (Jarrod Lorensini/Dan O’Sullivan) $61; 3rd Costa Margo (Christine Puls/Sue & Jason Jaensch) $101.
Race 3 Brewster Walsh Waters Partners 0-58 Handicap 1600m - 1st Soobmerged (Linda Meech/Belinda O’Loughlin) $2.80f; 2nd Tell Me Again (Will Gordon/Alex Rae) $7; 3rd Skytain (Jarrod Fry/William Morrissey) $13.
Race 4 Vickery 0-58 Handicap 2250m - 1st Fighting Sweet (Linda Meech/Andrew Bobbin) $5; 2nd Shesablinder (Melissa Julius/Peter Chow) $8; 3rd Havisham (Will Gordon/Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr) $4.60.
Race 5 Cally Hotel Hamilton 0-58 Handicap 1300m - 1st Ornamental Lady (Jarrod Fry/Daniel Bowman) $2.60f; 2nd Garbo (Melissa Julius/Jane Baker) $11; 3rd Let’s Atom (Robbie Downey/Shayne Fisher) $31.
Race 6 Patrick Sherlock Plumbing 0-58 Handicap 1800m - 1st Henry The Lion (Jarrod Fry/Richard Cully) $3.60ef; 2nd Bostock Raider (Christine Puls/Kelvin Bourke) $4.80; 3rd There For You (Jarrod Lorensini/Dane Smith) $17.
Race 7 Bet365 Coleraine Cup 1800m - 1st Sign Of Ussuri (Madison Lloyd/Tony & Calvin McEvoy) $3.60; 2nd Sir Simon (Jarrod Lorensini/Scott Brunton) $5.50; 3rd Adelaide Ace (Jarrod Fry/Shane Jackson) $3f.
Race 8 JM Ellis & Co BM64 Handicap 1300m - 1st Jay Gatsby (Harry Grace/Tom Dabernig) $7; 2nd Culily Ace (Melissa Julius/Daniel Bowman) $3.20f; 3rd Riotous Mischief (Will Gordon/Andrew Bobbin) $21.
