Evans all in with Werina Express

By Isaac Murphy

Werina Express started his career brilliantly winning the heat and final of the Dave Brett Memorial in April for trainer Noel Evans, but the two have faced their fair share of adversity struggles with injury and a winning drought ensuing.

Evans never doubted the fastest dog he’s ever trialled, and running third in last week’s Group 2 Queensland Derby Final has him convinced he should be winning his Christmas Stocking heat from the rails draw this week in a huge class drop, with the trainer optimistic about what’s to come.

“I was pretty rapt with the result, the two that beat him were two of the best in the state and he was only two lengths off winning a Derby - it would have been nicer if he’d won though” Evans laughed.

“It was good to see him lead for the second consecutive week, he’s started to draw some inside boxes and from the red Thursday night he should be out in front of them again.

“He’s coming back from a Group 2 to a Fifth Grade, with all respect to the other dogs there’s not going to be any Sentenced types chasing him.”

The dog has seen his share of tough races, but Evans thinks with his first and second splits it should be a one act affair.

“Put it this way, I’d be very disappointed if he didn’t go out tomorrow night and win; he’s been in some tough races and missed out, but it’s a real chance to get a win on the board,” he said.

“He’d been out with a hock injury for a couple of months before the Derby and everything was a bit of a rush and he went in after just three short slips.

“He was definitely underdone and to come out and do what he did in the heat and then the final without that race fitness is a really good sign for the next couple of months.”

Trainers relish series’ like the Christmas Stocking with Evans no exception, and he’ll learn plenty about where the dog’s at over the next fortnight.

“It’s an ideal race for us, if he can win tomorrow night and then knocks off the final, there’s some nice prize money and he’s still got a Fifth Grade up his sleeve,” he said.

“What he does over the next couple of weeks will dictate whether we stick to Fifth Grade company or go in with the big boys in the Gold Bullion.

“At the moment I think he’s a couple of tenths off being a chance in open company, but with a bit more fitness the way he’s pinging the lids, I think he can be a 29.6 dog, which puts him right up there.”

A clean bill of health is at the top of Evans’ wish list, and at just over two-years-old he thinks his best is just around the corner.

“Fitness is the key, he was trialling the house down as he’s been doing his whole life before he did the hock, I thought he was ready to go really well in a race like the Ipswich Cup,” he said.

“We were very thorough with him in his time off; he’s still only a very young dog, you want to not only get them back but still have scope for improvement and this bloke does.

“Box to box he’s the fastest dog to go around Ipswich this year and he went close to the quickest first two sectionals in the heat of the Derby - the signs are there.”

Evans acknowledges the dog needs to spend more time in the winner’s circle but feels that time is now.

“The knock on him is he’s only won three races, two of them being his first two starts when he won the Dave Brett, but he’s had plenty of excuses since,” Evans said.

“We haven’t backed away from any of the tough races with him knowing what he can do, and things just haven’t gone his way; there’s no shame finishing behind Farmor Beach in a race like the Rising Star.

“This week is crucial for him to find that winning feeling again, once he gets one hopefully it can snowball on from there.”