Everything Kerrin McEvoy touches turns to gold lately and so it proved again with Blue Sapphire Stakes winner Formality at Caulfield on Wednesday.
It has been an extraordinary time for last year's Melbourne Cup winning jockey who in the space of five days has scaled racing's The Everest with Redzel, won the Cranbourne Cup on Folkswood and got some extra cream on the top with Formality winning the Group III Blue Sapphire Stakes (1200m).
McEvoy partly blamed himself when the Lindsay Park filly finished well down the track in last month's Group I Golden Rose – beaten more than 9 lengths by Trapeze Artist – but he produced a smooth ride to make amends at Caulfield.
Formality ($5) sat outside leader Crown Witness but put paid to her in the straight and then held off second-placed Jukebox ($5.50) by a long neck with 1¼ lengths back to Lone Eagle ($31).
Formality is now bound for a clash with stablemates Catchy and Tulip in next month's Group I Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington.
"I didn't give her a great ride in the Golden Rose … and she is probably just a sprinting filly," McEvoy said.
"She was back in trip here and she is a very strong girl.
"Crown Witness just rolled along and I was happy, it was just a matter of pressing the button and we did that at the 300m and it was game over.
"She had a lovely run and she showed a good turn of foot they couldn't get near her."
Runner-up Jukebox tried hard but the Aaron Purcell-trained colt no match for the winner, with Jukebox's jockey Craig Williams offering few excuses.
"On straightening I thought I would win the race," Williams said.
"I have got a big opinion of him but the winner was just too strong for us today."
Hayes was confident Formality could make an impact in next month's Coolmore Stud Stakes.
"She really is a good filly, she had a gutbuster in the Golden Rose in Sydney," Hayes said.
"She drew wide and we elected to go forward and unfortunately the rest of the field did too in that race.
"To bounce back off that hard run was superb.
"Kerrin is in such good form we just said let her go under her own steam, if they want to go hard then follow them. If they want to walk then lead.
"Kerrin is very hard to get past a man in the form he is in."
