Coolmore turn to ex-Godolphin man McEvoy for Tiger Moth Melbourne Cup ride

Tiger Moth has been cut to 8-1 (from 10) by Ladbrokes for the Lexus Melbourne Cup after the news Kerrin McEvoy, who won the St Leger in Godolphin blue, will ride the Galileo colt, whose owners Coolmore are huge rivals of Sheikh Mohammed.

McEvoy, whose uncle Tony is a multiple Group 1-winning trainer in the southern hemisphere, is regarded as one of Australia's greatest riders and became a face familiar to British audiences thanks to a five-year spell as Frankie Dettori's understudy at Godolphin, capturing the Doncaster Classic in 2004 on Rule Of Law and the following season's St James's Palace Stakes on Shamardal.

He also won the Racing Post Trophy on Ibn Khaldun in 2007 before returning home a year later, although his link with Sheikh Mohammed continued and he landed the 2018 Melbourne Cup on Charlie Appleby's raider Cross Counter.

Melbourne Cup entries

That was McEvoy's third triumph in the famous race after Brew (2000) and Almandin (2016).

A fourth success on Tiger Moth – last seen winning a Group 3 on Irish Champions Weekend – would be a record-equalling one, which is perhaps why connections have booked him for the Aidan O'Brien-trained three-year-old, who is a general 10-1 with British and Irish bookmakers to provide the trainer with his first victory in the Flemington showpiece on November 3.

O'Brien is also due to run Irish Derby hero and St Leger fourth Santiago, who is 16-1 with William Hill and will be ridden by Irish ex-pat John Allen as Coolmore revealed riding plans for some of their big runners in Australia in the coming weeks.

They also include putting Ben Melham on Armory and Mark Zahra on Magic Wand in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate, while Hugh Bowman is aboard Anthony Van Dyck in the Stella Artois Caulfield Cup.

The 36-year-old Allen began his career with Joe Crowley, the late father of O'Brien's wife Annemarie.

"Obviously, I keep a pretty good eye on racing back home," Allen said, quoted on racing.com. "He definitely looks an exciting horse.

"Just his profile, European three year-olds have a great record in the race the past few years and I suppose he's in as good a form, if not better, than a couple of the three-year-olds that have come over the last few years.

"If you go on the last few years, he’s definitely the right profile."

More to read:

Appleby and Bin Suroor to miss Melbourne Cup amid coronavirus fears

Leading owner may swerve Melbourne Cup with O'Brien runners due to virus fears

Last year's Derby hero Anthony Van Dyck tops weights for Melbourne Cup

Take advantage of exclusive racing offers at the Members’ Enclosure. Get discounts on race day tickets, 30% off in the Racing Post Shop and more. Join Members’ Club Ultimate now for the must-have racing offers!