McEvoy’s message to punters: Don’t lose faith in Yellow Jersey

European import, Yellow Jersey, who is owned by billionaire Sheikh Fahad al Thani and trained by Tony & Calvin McEvoy, failed to win his first start in the country, finishing second at Eagle Farm in the Listed Wayne Wilson (1600m) on June 13.

Despite losing as a near $2 favourite, co-trainer Calvin McEvoy has sent a message to the punters who are a fan of the son of Dubai, explaining that there was a combination of reasons as to why the Cox Plate fancy failed to win his maiden start in the country.

“I think, for the punters out there, that one run at Eagle Farm, he was just a bit well, he was a bit fresh, he only had the one trial. It had been so wet in Queensland that we only managed to get one trial into him, it was on a heavy 10, we sort of protected him,” McEvoy told SENTrack & RSN’s Giddy Up.

“He trialled well, but it just meant that he went to the races that day over that mile just probably a bit fresh, a little bit underdone.

“And I think Mark Zahra, like great jockey, these European (horses), they take that little bit to wind up, and I reckon he pushed the button just thinking that he might take a bit to wind up, but when he pushed the button the horse exploded, he sprinted away, and he was probably just a little bit too sharp and then was found wanting the last 50m.

“I would have loved for him to win that race, but I was very pleased with him. He's a very untapped this horse.”

McEvoy continued his praise on the five-year-old gelding who raced out of France, exclaiming that the former Andre Fabre-trained horse trialled last Friday at Rosehill in preparation for the Spring Racing Carnival and was excellent.

“I was at Rosehill on Friday last week and he couldn't have trialled much better,” the co-trainer revealed.

“He was nearly a bit too sharp, I thought, ‘Jeez, how are we going to get you to relax over 2000m?’”

Fellow trainer Troy Corstens chimed in on the conversation, stating that other trainers have been discussing the import, revealing that they believe Yellow Jersey would run a huge race in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) on August 29.

Corstens: “Funnily enough, that's been the conversation in the trainer's hut without Calvin being in there, and we all think that he'd be very competitive in a Memsie.”

“Give the punters out there a little bit of a heads up. Where is he going to run?”

McEvoy: “I'll tell you what, he's locked into trial on the 14th at Flemington.”

“Mark Zahra's riding him, and our original plan was to kick him off in the Heatherlie (1700m), but he might just be too sharp for that, so we'll see how he trials.”

Gannon: “How many days into a Memsie would that be?

McEvoy: “It would work out, it honestly it would work out, but we'll see. Heatherlie or maybe Memsie (first-up), I'm not sure.”

Yellow Jersey currently isn’t in the market to win the Memsie Stakes, but Sheza Alibi is the $2.10 favourite with Sportsbet.

The McEvoy-trained import gunning for 2026 Cox Plate

Billionaire racing owner Sheikh Fahad al Thani has nearly won it all in Australia, collecting the Melbourne Cup in 2011 when he was just 21-years-old and the Caulfield Cup in 2012, both with Dunaden.

The only victory he is missing from Victoria’s big three is the Cox Plate, and he is determined to win the prestigious Group 1 this year.

While he has tried many times before, most recently coming second with Buckaroo in 2025, Fahad is convinced that he will crack the code with his recent import into Australia.

“We do have a very nice horse that is a new import into Australia with the McEvoy’s - Yellow Jersey,” the owner told SENTrack & RSN's Giddy Up.

“I think he's one of the best horses I've sent to Australia.”

Yellow Jersey is a four-year-old gelding who raced out of France under French trainer Andre Fabre, winning three races from four starts between 2000m and 2400m.

Now in Australia, training with Tony and Calvin McEvoy, who most recently completed the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup double with Half Yours, Yellow Jersey seems to be in the right stable to win the 2040m Cox Plate at Flemington.

Along with Yellow Jersey, Fahad believes his Ciaron Maher-trained Saint George will be an amazing chance to take out this year’s Melbourne Cup (3200m).

“I really like Saint George (for the Melbourne Cup),” Fahad said.

“I think he had a bit of a little problems this last prep, and he's just come back really, really well.

“I'd say he's one of my favourites (to win the Melbourne Cup).”

Yellow Jersey is currently $15 with Sportsbet to win the Cox Plate, while Saint George is $41 to win the Melbourne Cup.

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