The promising Quick Finish (Grunt {NZ}) continued her impressive progression with a strong staying performance to claim the Gr.3 Ethereal Stakes at Caulfield for trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy, with Jye McNeil aboard.
The Yu Long Investments-owned filly brought up her third consecutive win and her first at stakes level, underlining her credentials as a rising staying talent.
McNeil took a positive approach from the outset, pressing forward to lead under little pressure from Abaya (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) on the outer, while Oceans Fouroseven (NZ) (Noverre {NZ}) was caught three-wide in the early stages.
Well-backed favourite Fringilla (Ghaiyyath {IRE}) settled around seventh between runners in a race that developed into a somewhat muddling affair.
McNeil made his move at the top of the straight, kicking strongly and quickly putting Quick Finish into a winning position. She looked the winner a long way from home, with Your Colour (Maurice {JPN}) and Refuse To Curtsy (Royal Meeting {IRE}) making late ground out wide to fill the minor placings, half a length and a length behind the winner respectively.
Both placegetters shaped as promising Gr.1 Victorian Oaks trials, while Fringilla was tidy enough without enjoying much luck.
Co-trainer Calvin McEvoy was delighted with the filly’s performance, crediting the team at Ballarat for having her in such forward condition and explaining the thinking behind the positive tactics.
“She’s a fit, forward filly, trained at Ballarat so credit to the team there,” said co-trained Calvin McEvoy. She looked incredibly well, we thought we’d utilise, her going forward, she’s very fit.
“Thought a few of these might be a query at the trip, whereas this filly certainly wasn’t. So, very exciting for Yulong, they bred this girl. She’s continuing to raise the bar, which is fantastic.
“We think she’ll stay. So, obviously another box ticked today, we don’t have to do a lot with her, she goes down to Lucy Boyd’s in between runs down in Ballarat for a couple of days of dressage which seems to suit her and we couldn’t have been happier with how she presented today.”
With the Gr.1 Victorian Oaks now firmly in the picture, McEvoy was confident the gap between runs would be beneficial rather than a concern.
When asked how she would cope with the gap until the Oaks, McEvoy felt it would pose no issues.
“Absolutely perfect, she won’t do much into it, I think we trust her lungs and her ability to stay. As you can see she looks fantastic, so we’re very happy to have a live chance going into the Oaks.”
McEvoy also explained the importance of allowing the filly to stride freely, with McNeil’s familiarity with her proving a valuable asset.
“She’s not that easy to be honest and Jye knows her well, if you grab hold of her she can get onto one rein and not do things right so we want to roll with her and go with her and we’ve learned that over time and it seems to be effective.
“She quickened well on the bend and she was in front for a very long way, so I’m proud of her, proud of the team and she’ll head on towards the Oaks now, which is exciting for Yulong.”
Sales info: Quick Finish was passed in short of her $30,000 reserve at the 2025 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale. She is now raced by her breeders Yulong Investments.
Pedigree info: Quick Finish is out of the unraced Golden Horn (GB) mare Gentle Strokes, who is a half-sister to the six-time winner and Group 3 and Listed-placed filly Poster Girl (Alabama Express) and the six-time winner and Listed-placed Sketched – Pacific Master (Sing.) (Snitzel).
Gentle Strokes in recent times has left a two-year-old filly by Written Tycoon who the Well Written (Written Tycoon) connection of Stephen Marsh Racing and Dylan Johnson Bloodstock purchased from the Yulong draft for $150,000, a yearling filly by Alabama Express and is due to foal to Growing Empire any day now.
Written for TTRAusNZ
