Sunlight cools her jets
THE next week will be crucial in the Golden Slipper path for Magic Millions winner Sunlight, with trainer Tony McEvoy looking at giving her a month break before fine- tuning her for the Sydney carnival.
Sunlight shot to the top of Slipper betting charts after her win on Saturday and all going well, she will have one start leading into the March 24 race – provided McEvoy is happy with what he sees this week.
“I think I’ve got a month to cool her jets and then build a program into the Golden Slipper,” McEvoy said on Radio TAB’s Past The Post. “The next seven days will tell me a lot.
“If everything has taken too much out of her she will go home, lay down and collapse in the next seven days when we take the grain out of her.
“It will be very interesting to see how she handles it and then I will be able to make some decisions going forward what I’m allowed to do with her.”
McEvoy was among the leading buyers at this year’s Magic Millions sale, securing 17 horses under the McEvoy/ Mitchell racing banner and another seven in slightly different partnerships.
With eight years under the new business structure, McEvoy’s presence at the top of sale leaderboards has been quite deliberate.
“Two years ago we decided to up our spend and buy better quality horses and faster horses and once you start upping your spend, you have to get a different clientele,” he said.
“I think our form with our two- year- olds has given people the confidence to invest with us.”
McEvoy said it wasn’t the original intention to buy 24 horses last week.
“The quality of horses in this sale was absolutely outstanding,” he said.
“Rick Connolly ( McEvoy’s bloodstock manager) and I look at every horse and the quality was up. I thought ‘ I have to take advantage’.
“Later in the year at the other sales, I will be surprised if the quality is as good.”
He said the “most sensible” purchase he made was $ 600,000 for Sunlight’s little sister.