Star mare finally back

McEvoy confident gate woes behind NT’s Dakota Lee

Approaching two years since her last race appearance, gun Northern Territory mare Dakota Lee will resume her racing career for Tony and Calvin McEvoy at Moonee Valley on Friday night.

Unbeaten in seven-career starts, all eyes will be on the five-year-old mare when she approaches the gates in race seven on Friday night, with three separate stewards’ embargoes halting her promising career following a reluctance to load into the barriers.

Owner Terry Gillett – who originally trained the mare in Alice Springs – sent her south in 2023 to the McEvoy’s Victorian stable, and now with her barrier woes behind her, Calvin McEvoy is eager to see Dakota Lee under race conditions for the first time since April 2, 2022.

“It’s nice to have her back, she’s certainly going to improve after the run – there’s no doubt about that,” McEvoy said.

“She came to us with quite a few issues at the gates, we did a bit of work with her last prep and feel that she might be over them.

“She’s a really big mare and obviously gets a little bit claustrophobic. It’s very hard to get them out of it, especially when its in a horse’s head, what you’ve got to determine is whether they’re being stubborn, whether they are scared or what it is.

“I’m confident that she’s put it behind her. She has to handle the occasion of going to Moonee Valley under lights, that is a thing that can rev some horses up a bit but I’m confident the gates are not going to be an issue.”

Conquering the mare’s resistance to the barriers wasn’t the only challenge for the McEvoy yard, with Dakota Lee suffering a suspensory injury after a scintillating trial win on the Ballarat synthetic in March 2023.

“That’s what happens when you go too fast,” he said.

“It was a real shame for the ownership group but they’ve been extremely patient, she’s obviously a quality mare that can gallop.”

Now injury free – and coming off a strong trial win at Burrumbeet last Monday – Friday it is set to be a night of firsts for seven-time race winner Dakota Lee, competing under lights and having her first start on grass after previously racing exclusively on the dirt of Alice Springs.

Dakota Lee – a $5.50 chance on TAB – is on the second line of betting behind race favourite Satin And Silk ($3.60) in the Benchmark 70 (955m).