Aye Aye Captain claims Rosehill victory

Les Bridge, a seasoned trainer, saw his birthday celebrations extended at Rosehill when Aye Aye Captain returned to winning form. Jockey Kerrin McEvoy confessed he had a result to repay the stable after a misguided recommendation in her prior start.

The mare had previously disappointed, finishing fifth as the favourite on a heavy track, a run McEvoy had advocated for Bridge to proceed with.

Back on more favourable ground for Saturday's Congratulations Chris Waller Handicap (1400m), the mare made no errors. Aye Aye Captain, sent out at $3.30, dug deep to win by a neck from Ticklebelly ($5), validating the faith of her connections.

McEvoy admitted that he needed to make amends for the mare's last-start effort.

"I must admit, he wasn't too happy with me the other day when I convinced him to run on the heavy track," McEvoy said.

"I could tell when I rang him after the races he was a bit flat on me.

"Anyway, he's waited for today, freshened her up, and her work during the week was good.

"She settled better for me today, and the better ground suited her."

This victory continues the long-standing association between McEvoy and Bridge, which began nearly twenty-five years ago. Their first joint success was with Miss Zoe in the 2002 Emancipation Stakes, followed by their most significant triumph when Classique Legend secured The Everest in 2020.

"My first winner (for Bridge) was a good mare of his way back in the early 2000s, Miss Zoe. This was when I was just out of my apprenticeship," McEvoy stated. "Then when I moved to Sydney, I didn't ride a lot for Les early on. Carmel (Size) linked me up when she knew she had a smart one in Classique Legend, and I've been doing a bit ever since with Les."

The strongly supported favourite, Enviable ($2.50), performed below expectations, weakening to finish last after tracking the leader. James McDonald reported to stewards that the mare travelled comfortably in transit but lacked response when asked for an effort in the straight. A post-race veterinary inspection was scheduled to ascertain if an underlying issue contributed to the disappointing result.

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