Odds-on favourite Qewy raced up to his short price in the Sandown Cup 2016 continuing the stellar Spring Carnival results for the powerhouse international Godolphin stable.

2016 Ladbrokes Sandown Cup winner Qewy continued the gun spring run for English trainer Charlie Appleby and Godolphin. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
The son of Street Cry won the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m) on debut down under with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle before a brave fourth to Almandin in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) last start when Craig Williams jumped aboard.
McEvoy, who rode this year’s Melbourne Cup winner to victory in the ‘race that stops a nation’, reunited with Qewy in the $150,000 Listed Ladbrokes Sandown Cup (3200m) on the final day of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.
He gave the lightly-raced European six-year-old raider a perfectly timed ride up front leading all the way and dictating the two mile showdown.
“He’s got a lovely mind, lovely attitude and nice big stride,” McEvoy said of the Sandown Cup winner post-race.
“He was bright as I got on him so I was pretty happy.
“It’s always in the back of your mind a bit that he’s got that little bit of weight and is up again over two miles, but we did it our own way.”
Qewy ($1.90) only carried 50.5kg in the Melbourne Cup and went up to the 58.5kg top weight in the Sandown Cup on Saturday.
A proven stayer with experience in jumps racing back in the UK, the Charlie Appleby-trained champ handled the kilos without an issue and had enough in the tank to hold off a fast-finishing Swacadelic ($6.50) to post his second win from three starts in Australia.
Rounding out the Sandown Cup trifecta in a brave third at big odds after racing up near the pace throughout was the Pat Carey-trained All I Survey ($31).
Qewy was first to jump from the gates and showed the way in a slow galloper with Tunes in second ahead of All I Survey and Murphy’s Delight in the early stages of the Sandown Cup.
McEvoy set a meandering pace on the warm favourite, slowing the tempo right down knowing he would have to save the top weight for the finishing burst into that headwind at Ladbrokes Park.
“He’s a big strong old fella and was able to get away with it,” McEvoy said.
Aaron Purcell’s German import Swacadelic, fifth in the Geelong Cup, meanwhile enjoyed a nice easy trail midfield on the inside throughout.
Qewy led into the straight keeping up the relentless gallop and giving the rest something to chase home.
Jockey Glyn Schofield produced Swacadelic with his run down the outside over the final 150m, but Qewy held on by a head.
The favourite was simply too good in the Sandown Cup and the impeccably timed ride by McEvoy allowed the horse to show off his toughness doing it all on his own all the way through.
“We went full boar from 600 on and full credit to the horse, he just kept picking up,” McEvoy said.
“His heart’s really in the right place. As a jockey you love riding a horse like this, he just tries so hard for you.”
Godolphin representative James Ferguson was thrilled with the Sandown Cup result that topped off an incredible carnival for that team that included wins in the Geelong Cup, Bendigo Cup and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
“For him [Qewy] to win this it just tops it all off,” he said.
“It was a great ride from Kerrin. The horse had a hard race in the Melbourne cup and pulled out all the stops today, I’m absolutely delighted.
“He’s a bit of a jumper so we knew he could stay. It’s just a great thrill for everyone to come here on the last day and win.”
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2016 Sandown Cup Results & Finishing Order
Sandown Race 3 – 12/11/2016
Place | # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Br. | Wgt. | SP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | QEWY (IRE) | Charlie Appleby | Kerrin McEvoy | – | 1 | 58.5kg | $1.90F |
2 | 4 | SWACADELIC (GER) | Aaron Purcell | Glyn Schofield | 0.2L | 2 | 54kg | $6.50 |
3 | 10 | ALL I SURVEY | Pat Carey | Patrick Moloney | 3.95L | 4 | 54kg | $31 |
4 | 8 | FOUR CARAT (GER) | Chris Waller | Ben Melham | 4.95L | 3 | 54kg (cd 54.5kg) | $17 |
5 | 3 | DE LITTLE ENGINE | Danny O’Brien | Damian Lane | 6.2L | 5 | 54kg | $5 |
6 | 5 | MURPHY’S DELIGHT (IRE) | Chris Waller | Craig Newitt | 9.45L | 6 | 54kg | $11 |
7 | 2 | BRING SOMETHING | Ken Keys | Craig Williams | 13.95L | 8 | 54kg | $18 |
8 | 7 | TUNES | Grant Young | Ms Michelle Payne | 16.7L | 7 | 54kg | $41 |
– | 11 | BULLISH STOCK (NZ) | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Dwayne Dunn | – | 0 | – | – |
– | 6 | CINNAMON CARTER | Robbie Laing | Damien Oliver | – | 0 | – | – |
– | 9 | SLY ROMANCE (NZ) | Richard Laming | Dean Yendall | – | 0 | – | – |