Honest mare Evie Rose can resume a winter campaign with a win in today's NMIT Handicap (race 8) at Kyneton.
Kyneton puts on a huge 10 race card today and Evie Rose's race looks a strong Benchmark 72 over 1200m.
Evie Rose, prepared by Lee and Shannon Hope at Seymour, has two wins and five minors from her 10 career starts but has failed to weigh in only twice.
That was on debut when green and last start, when only beaten 1.9 lengths in stronger grade at Flemington.
Just over 12 months ago she had a very good autumn campaign, with two wins, three placings and a fourth, mostly in town, before heading for a good break.
She resumed in the spring over 1200m at Wodonga and from her inside gate sat second throughout before boxing on well to place.
She then went to 1300m in town at Sandown Hillside, and raced on the speed sharing the lead before forging clear with two furlongs to go.
The mare kicked strongly but was grabbed right on the line and was runner up in a top form race behind Charlottes Mint which produced five subsequent winners.
Next start, up to 1420m and in tougher Saturday grade at Flemington, she sat fourth in the run and turned there before battling home well in the straight, finishing 10th but beaten only 1.9 lengths in a busy finish behind Vintage Triumph.
Today she resumes without a trial but has a strong fresh up record and will appreciate dropping back to this grade.
She seems comfortable in all conditions and comes into this with a nice weight and the inside draw.
From there she will be able to stalk the speed and should prove a leading chance fresh.
Riverina's Girl is racing well and should be hard to hold out again.
The Nikki Burke trained mare placed three on end over 1200m at Geelong and Ballarat and 1300m on the all weather at Geelong.
She returned there last time over 1300m in an RB68 and went back to near last after drawing a wide gate.
Hooking very wide on the turn, she ran on hard to score a 1.2 length win over Ultimate Warrior.
This is a tougher grade but she drops in weight on the win and has drawn much better this time.
She has been runner up her only try at the track, has placed four of six at the slightly shorter journey, and goes well in the ground.
Leading rider Steven King stays aboard and she will be hard to stop again.
Alarms has shown ability in his light career so far and is expected to run well fresh.
The Anthony Freedman trained gelding shows good pace and from his two fresh up runs has finish fourth and second.
He has a top record at the course, with two wins and a second from three tries, and despite a wide gate should give a bold sight here.
Sumac is lightly raced and may have come on in his break.
Has good early speed and is expected to give a big sight here fresh.
