Innovation Girl wins on cool McEvoy ride
By Robert Windmill of AAP Racing & Sports 07/09/02

Brian Mayfield-Smith described Kerrin McEvoy's ride on Innovation Girl as possibly the coolest and best-timed he had seen after she landed the $351,000 Group Two Ascot Vale Stakes (1200m) at Flemington.

The Rubiton filly always had daylight in front of her racing one off the grandstand rail but McEvoy waited until the last 150 metres to win the race.

"I don't think I would have been that patient had I been in the same position," Mayfield-Smith said.

"His ride was outstanding.

"That the coolest and as well timed ride by any jockey I've seen in a long time."

McEvoy said he was always confident.

"At the 300 metres the others were under pressure and I was just coasting along," he said.

"Everything you want her to do she just does."

Innovation Girl only got to the lead just inside the 100 metres and held on for a three-quarter length win over strong challengers Cool Trent and Titanic Jack who both had hard luck stories.

Fillies have had a moderate record in the Ascot Vale with Innovation Girl only the sixth to win the feature since it became a race for three-year-olds in 1969.

Mayfield-Smith said that despite beating the colts today, Innovation Girl would revert to races against the fillies in the coming weeks.

"I'm hoping she will get 1600 metres and I can run her in the Thousand Guineas," Mayfield-Smith said.

Innovation Girl has an imposing race record, today's win her seventh in eight starts.

Her only defeat was last autumn when Yell beat her in a photo finish in the Veuve Clicquot at Caulfield.

Today's race her was her fourth this campaign and took her stake earnings to more than $534,000.