Star hoop heading north for The Archer

By Tony McMahon

Three-time Melbourne Cup winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy is on his way to the beef capital.

Earlier this week, it was confirmed that the winner of over 2000 races, including 333 in the United Kingdom, will make the trek to Rockhampton later this month to ride Maotai in The Archer.

In a further coup for the race, Inver Park – a horse that has tasted success at Royal Ascot – may also feature in the $775,000 race for slot holders Ron and Jill Milne.

For Inver Park, the 1,281km float trip from Kris Lees’ Newcastle stables to Rockhampton will be a mere hop, skip and a jump compared to the 16,061km hike he made from London to Australia.

Then again, Inver Park is known to fly, a trait he displays at the finish of his races as illustrated at his last win on June 16, 2022 when he beat 28 rivals over seven furlongs (1400m) at Royal Ascot.

Since that triumph, the Australian Bloodstock-owned prospect had his first serious outing 183 days after last racing, accelerating to win a Newcastle barrier trial over 1,000 metres on April 11.

“It’s the intention he (Inver Park) would be on the truck this week heading to the Gold Coast,” Australian Bloodstock’s Jamie Lovett said.

“At this stage he is travelling up and will be our number one suit.

“The horse is very forward and has very strong form lines.

"He hits the line fast and we thought the 1,300 metres first-up would be ideal.”

Kris Lees had two starters in last year’s The Archer in Ventura Ocean (seventh) and Gem Song (fifth) which also represented the Milne’s as slot holders.

Australian Bloodstock featured in the ownership of both horses and reading between the lines, Lees may have dual starters again in the 2023 rendition of the burgeoning race.

Official nominations for The Archer close on Wednesday, 1pm when dreams will phase one step closer to reality for the dozen slot holders in the goliath race.