A well timed ride from Kerrin McEvoy saw the French import Carzoff score a convincing win in the Group 3 $200,000 Sharp Electronics Group Newcastle Gold Cup (2300m) at Newcastle today.
Carzoff, above in black and white colours, wins the Newcastle Gold Cup at Newcastle. Photo by Steve Hart.
McEvoy settled the Chris Waller trained Carzoff well back in the field and rode for luck in the straight and were rewarded with another provincial cup after the pair combined to win the Listed $160,000 Wyong Gold Cup at Wyong two week’s ago.
McEvoy didn’t panic when the majority of the field was in front of him when heads were turned for home and directed Carzoff in between runners in the early stages of the straight.
Tye Angland shot the Richard Freedman trained Auvray ($4.40) to the front at the 150m but the huge impost of 59.5kg took its toll and he couldn’t hold off the finishing burst of Carzoff ($3.60 favourite) who had the luxury weight of 54kg.
The third placegetter Just Shine ($10) tried hard at the end of the 2300m and filled the third spot.
The 2100m of the Wyong Cup was the furthest that Carzoff had won over but the six year had been tested over a middle distance back in Europe.
The Chris Waller stable representative Liam Prior said that Carzoff would now be considered for the Group 1 $750,000 Heineken 3 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on September 29.
“He really had to grind out that win but was very well ridden by Kerrin, a nice patient ride, got the splits at the right time and at the end it was a very satisfying victory,” Prior said.
“He travelled sweetly into the bend and once he got into that clear room he burst through and was quiet impressive today at the 2300m which he hasn’t done before (In Australia).