Head Darley hoop Kerrin McEvoy is battling a bout of the flu but has confirmed that he will able to take his rides for Peter Snowden at the Queensland Oaks meeting on Saturday.

McEvoy was supposed to travel to Brisbane on Tuesday and make his first appearance of the carnival at Saturday’s Oaks meeting.

However he is still in Sydney after coming down with a bout of the flu.

“It’s left me feeling a bit flat but I’ll be right for Saturday and I’ll probably go up to Brisbane on Saturday morning,” said McEvoy.

McEvoy has been engaged to ride at today’s Canterbury meeting but it remains unclear whether he will fulfil his commitments.

McEvoy will no doubt be frustrated by this latest setback. He made a successful comeback from injury on Saturday after spending a month on the sidelines with broken ribs he sustained in a fall in the Sydney Cup.

The injury cost him wins aboard Benfica, Free Wheeling, Divorces, Kanzan and Beaded, who took out the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 minus her regular jockey.

McEvoy will be chasing his second win in the Queensland Oaks with Divorces, after he scored a memorable win aboard Purple in 2009.

However there are some major concerns being raised over the ability of Divorces to run a strong 2400m

“It’s a concern whether she’ll run the trip but I’m confident she can if she is ridden quiet,” McEvoy said.

Trainer Peter Snowden is confident that Divorces will be able to settle in the run during the Oaks.

“It won’t matter where she is draws she’ll get back and hopefully she can go to sleep.

“Hugh Bowman (who has been riding Divorces in the absence of McEvoy) is confident she’ll get the trip if she is ridden that way,” Snowden said.

McEvoy’s illness has forced Snowden to delay choosing riders for Benfica and Free Wheeling, Darley’s two hopes in the BRC Sires Produce Stakes, although McEvoy said it would be a team decision to choose his Sires’ ride.

“Benfica ran quicker time last start, but Free Wheeling ran the faster sectionals of the two. It’ll be a tough decision and a lineball call whichever way it goes.” McEvoy said.