McEvoy takes Scottish for Werribee gallop

Kerrin McEvoy has acquainted himself with his Caulfield Cup mount Scottish in a light work-out at the Werribee quarantine facility.

The jockey got the call-up to ride the Charlie Appleby-trained stayer with Godolphin’s retained Australian rider James McDonald suspended for Saturday week’s Caulfield Cup (2400m).

McEvoy won the 2008 Caulfield Cup on the Godolphin-owned All The Good and said it was important for him to have a sit on the horse he would be riding come raceday.

“It’s always good to have a ride on them,” McEvoy said.

“It wasn’t going to be the hardest hit-out but it’s good to get a feel of them nonetheless.

“Having won a Caulfield Cup for Godolphin in 2008 it’s nice to pull the colours back on and see if we can get one for Charlie and Sheikh Mohammed,” McEvoy said.

“This horse is a little bit different.

“He’s a strong galloping type with form over shorter distances than a mile-and-a-half but as a younger horse over a mile-and-a-half he wasn’t beaten far behind Highland Reel who came out and ran second in the Arc this year.”

Scottish, and his four travelling companions, Francis Of Assisi, Oceanographer, Qewy and Second Wave, arrived in Melbourne last Saturday and have all settled in to the Werribee routine.

McEvoy said he was happy with what Scottish did on Friday.

“He seemed nice and bright but was only out there to stretch his legs,” McEvoy said.

“It was easy work over seven furlongs (1400m), just going even time.

“We stayed in behind the lead horse and he recovered nicely in his wind and his action was good.”

McEvoy said Scottish would do a stronger piece of work on Tuesday morning with his regular track rider on board.

Scottish is the TAB’s Caulfield Cup $8 second favourite behind the Ciaron Maher-trained Jameka at $3.70.

Jameka finished second in last Sunday’s Turnbull Stakes won by Godolphin’s Hartnell, the former Caulfield Cup favourite who will now instead run in the Cox Plate.