McEvoy Strikes Out on His Own

Jockey Kerrin McEvoy, who spent the last 11 years as Sheikh Mohammed’s first-call rider in Australia, has decided to break ties with the operation to pursue a career as a free-lance rider. 

“It has been a great association and I’m blessed to have been a part of it all and ride some fantastic horses,” McEvoy told Racing and Sports. “To be whisked overseas as a 22-year-old and working with Frankie Dettori and those guys over there, I was able to learn so much from them and the whole Godolphin outfit, witnessing first hand how these big stables operate, it was a real eye opener.” 

McEvoy also paid homage to his old boss. 

“Sheikh Mohammed made an indelible mark on my career and has been part of some fantastic times both here and overseas,” he stated. “There are memories I will never forget, riding winners at Royal Ascot and winning Caulfield Cups and Golden Slippers, it has been a wonderful ride and I’ve been a very lucky boy.” 

In recent months, Godolphin has shifted gears in Australia, splitting mounts in Sydney between McEvoy and New South Wales premiership winner James McDonald. 

“The landscape has changed a little bit in terms of the structure of jockey bookings,” McEvoy told Sky Sports Radio. “I wasn’t the contracted rider as such as I have been in other years and I felt it was the right time to part ways and head out as a free-lance jockey. There has been no bust up, it has been an amicable split and I am hopeful there will be opportunities if the stable sees fit to put me on in the future.” 

McEvoy singled out his uncle Tony McEvoy as one option going forward, and it was also announced Tuesday that he would be the new rider for TDN Rising Star Rubick (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}) through the colt’s spring campaign, set to begin in the G2 Schillaci S. over 1000 meters at Caulfield Oct. 11. Rubick, winner of the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude S. for colts and geldings ahead of a fourth behind Earthquake (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) in the G1 Blue Diamond S. itself, is set to trial Sept. 30 ahead of the Schillaci.