McEvoy proves an innovative boy
By Tony Bourke of the Age 08/09/02

Trainer Brian Mayfield-Smith gave jockey Kerrin McEvoy all the credit for Innovation Girl's win in yesterday's group two Ascot Vale Stakes at Flemington.

"Her run was terrific (but) his ride was outstanding," Mayfield-Smith said as the horses returned to scale. "He was a lot cooler than I could have been in that situation."

McEvoy held up Innovation Girl on the inside of a wall of horses in the final 200 metres, preventing runner-up Cool Trent and Titanic Jack, who was best-backed to beat the winner, getting clear runs.

Both Brett Prebble (Cool Trent) and Damien Oliver (Titanic Jack) claimed they should have won, but nothing could be taken away from the win of Innovation Girl, who became only the sixth filly in the 33-year history of the race to win the Ascot Vale.

Adelaide filly So Gorgeous was successful in 2000 but before that, it was back to Courtza in 1989. Over the years, it has been mainly the minor placegetters in the Ascot Vale who have gone on to bigger and better things during the spring rather than the winners but Innovation Girl might be the exception.

Mayfield-Smith is adamant that the Rubiton filly will stick to her own age and sex during the spring with the ultimate aim being the $502,000 Thousand Guineas (1600 metres) at Caulfield on October 16.

McEvoy, who has now ridden her twice for two wins, agreed that Innovation Girl should be able to handle 1600 metres, particularly against the fillies.

Innovation Girl started at $2.60 after opening at $2 and held out Cool Trent ($21) to win by three-quarters-of-a length, with Titanic Jack ($3.50) a half-neck away third.

Although there were only 10 runners, they were all tightly bunched over near the outside rail after going 200 metres, with Innovation Girl one of the leaders. From the 800 metres, Oliver tried to secure a clear passage down the outside on Titanic Jack but there was nowhere to go and Prebble had the same problem on Cool Trent.

They were not alone, with Scott Seamer on Brief Embrace weaving back and forth behind the leading pack. Stewards later reported that Titanic Jack had difficulty in obtaining a run for a short distance after brushing the hindquarters of Innovation Girl near the 200 metres. The Hong Kong-trained Able Choice finished fourth after being close up all the way and jockey Michael Cahill said the gelding was now looking for 1400 or 1600.

While Innovation Girl escaped all the trouble in the Ascot Vale, Mayfield-Smith and part-owners, the Pope Racing syndicate, just missed out on a feature race double yesterday in the group three Diamond Quality (1200m), won by the Lee Freedman-trained Chong Tong.

Topweight Rubitano, returning to the scene of his Newmarket win in the autumn, failed by only a nose after knuckling over as the field jumped away.