3 minute read

Juveniles test out straight track ahead of first Victorian 2YO race.

Tony and Calvin McEvoy won one of the two-year-old jumpouts held at Flemington on Thursday, but it was a beaten stablemate who looms as their most likely runner in Saturday week's Maribyrnong Trial.

Zoustar filly Altermatum finished second in the first of two 800m jumpouts for trainers who are not based at Flemington and McEvoy was happy with what he saw from the filly who is out of a half-sister to Estijaab.

"She was really good, she got a little bit lost down the straight, but she's a nice filly and she'll likely head here for the Maribyrnong Trial if all goes well," he said.

"She's a filly who's going to get better over further, but she's been very natural all the way through."

Altermatum, a $1.15 million Magic Millions yearling, was beaten about 1-1/2 lengths by John Leek Jnr's Puissance De Lune colt Puissance Power in 47.33 seconds.

McEvoy and his co-trainer father Tony won the second jumpout, with Too Darn Hot filly Arabian Summer, who clocked 46.95secs despite wanting to lay in, which might mean she waits an extra week for the Debutant Stakes at Caulfield in preference to next weekend's 900-metre Listed event.

"She got it a bit wrong down the straight. She was inclined to lay in basically the whole way up but she still won the trial, so she's got plenty there and Harry (Coffey) never really got to ask the question of her," McEvoy said of the $220,000 Magic Millions youngster.

"All in all, she's a very sharp filly, we'll just see how she comes through it, but it's likely we'll go to Caulfield."

The jumpouts for outside trainers were followed by two trials for Flemington stables.

Godolphin had the first two over the line in the first of those workouts, with the James Cummings-trained Blue Point colt Blue Illusion scoring by a neck over Eject, who is trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, in 48.05secs.

Eject scored a dashing Cranbourne trial earlier this month and Sam Freedman said the son of Street Boss would take plenty out of Thursday's workout, despite being beaten.

"Today we wanted to take a sit on him and he relaxed well in behind them, quickened up and had  another good experience, going inside horses, which was good to see," Freedman said.

"We'll see how he comes through, he might be in the paddock tomorrow, but we'll just see how he pulls up and where we head with him."

The fourth trial was won by comfortably an unnamed Leon and Troy Corstens-trained Capitalist colt in 47.13secs.