McEvoy puts lid on winning rumours

THE reputation of unraced filly Just Zerene has been fuelled by “The Text” that has been doing the rounds over the past week, the content of which trainer Tony McEvoy says has been somewhat exaggerated.

The circulated text or email said McEvoy had “unearthed the best two-year-old he’s ever had” and went viral last week as Just Zerene’s price for the Magic Millions tumbled.

McEvoy, already frustrated at missing an Eagle Farm start with Just Zerene last weekend because of the limited field size, said it was a “storm in a tea cup”.

“I was at dinner with some friends and I just said ‘I think I’ve unearthed a really good two-year-old’,” McEvoy said.

“One of the people has sent an email to one of their friends and they’ve told 10 of their friends and clearly their 10 friends have told 10 each of their friends. “It just got out of control. “She’s a nice filly, I like her. She’s not the next Winx, which everyone is thinking, she’s definitely not that, but she’s a nice two-year-old.”

Just Zerene, an $800,000 MM purchase this year, has been $2.50 into $1.95 to win tomorrow’s Group 3 B.J. McLachlan Stakes at Doomben with Ladbrokes, but McEvoy said the changed program made her task a harder one.

“Not many win a Group race at their first start. This was not the plan, we were forced into this, so she’s not as well placed this week as she was last week,” he said.

Stablemate Sun City is $9 and McEvoy said there was “definitely not” as much between them as the market suggests.

“Sun City improved out of sight from last time I believe in both fitness and experience,” he said.

“He’s been making a lot of mistakes and its cost him two races, but he’s still running second. When the penny drops, you will see a pretty good colt.”

Just Zerene needs to win tomorrow to secure a Magic Millions start but McEvoy was mindful of the poor record horses with just one start had.

He questioned whether it was smarter to turn her out and target the Golden Slipper.