Realistic McEvoy still dares to dream

Tony McEvoy knows what it takes to beat a weight-for-age champion in the Cox Plate but he isn't holding out much hope of Royal Symphony denying Winx a third-consecutive Cox Plate success.

McEvoy prepared Fields Of Omagh to win the 2003 Cox Plate, defeating Defier, with $1.60 favourite Lonhro finishing third. Lonhro was the shortest-priced Cox Plate favourite since Tobin Bronze won for the second time in 1967.

"I don't think she (Winx) can be beaten but I'm very pleased and proud that I've got a horse there that could be one to challenge her," McEvoy said.

"Miracles happen in races and that's why we all dream. We've just seen some rough results recently … Boom Time in the Caulfield Cup last Saturday, who gave him a real chance?

"But you've got to be realistic in this business. She's an incredible mare and she's doing things that most can't."

McEvoy says winning the Cox Plate was the moment that changed his career.

"It gave me acceptance, I think. I think people accepted me as a trainer when I won that race and it's a great feeling. It's a feeling I'd want everyone to feel and I'm ready for that feeling again.

"The Cox Plate is a different race to any other. The pressure builds from the 1200-metre mark and you need a really tough horse. Is my horse tough enough? I'm not too sure. Is Winx tough? Yes."

There are a few reasons to be optimistic about Royal Symphony being a worthy adversary that may force Winx to stretch her neck, at least for longer than older horses have managed at weight-for-age over 2000m in the past.

WATCH: Royal Symphony's Caulfield Guineas run

For starters, Royal Symphony has had a few looks at The Valley. An exhibition gallop before the start of his spring campaign and two pieces of trackwork at the venue in the past week have helped familiarise the son of Domesday with the tight-turning circuit.

His late surge to win the Listed Exford Plate (1400m) at Flemington was that of a future star. And recent three-year-old Cox Plate winners Shamus Award and So You Think were both beaten in the Caulfield Guineas, swooping from hopeless positions and catching the eye late.

That pair then made the most of their light weight under weight-for-age conditions to lead throughout at Moonee Valley a fortnight later. Royal Symphony appears the equal of that pair at the same stage of their careers - some might argue he's more advanced.

"Royal Symphony was luckless in the Caulfield Guineas," McEvoy said. "He ran fourth but I believe he should have won the race. And I think he's improved."

McEvoy also has representation in Moonee Valley's other Group 1 race this weekend, the $1 million Manikato Stakes (1200m), with last season's Australian Guineas winner Hey Doc.

"It's a mini Everest isn't? It's a deep race. I want to see where we're at," he said.

"I think he showed me in The Goodwood (sixth to Vega Magic) that he's a Group 1 horse at a sprint distance. I know this is a Manikato at weight-for-age and it's very different opposition. The thing I'm comforted by is that he's two from two at The Valley, he loves it here."

McEvoy is also chasing consecutive wins in the $250,000 Inglis Banner (1000m) with Faroe after winning the sales-restricted juvenile race last year with Azazel. The stable also had Swipeline run a luckless third in the race as favourite in 2011.

Faroe is a daughter of Rothesay that cost $100,000 as a yearling and has trialled officially twice ahead of her debut.

She ran fifth over 800m at Morphettville Parks on September 28 before winning over 800m at Cranbourne on October 9 in 47.16 seconds. That was quicker than the other two-year-old heat of the day, won by stablemate Run Naan, who then won on debut at Bendigo last Saturday.