Lloyd Williams pays Kerrin McEvoy ultimate compliment following Almandin’s Melbourne Cup win

RECORD-breaking owner Lloyd Williams has hailed Kerrin McEvoy as the best “rider of staying horses in the world” while savouring an unprecedented fifth Melbourne Cup victory.

Melbourne Cup winner Almandin with (left to right) owner Lloyd Williams, trainer Rob Hickmott, Joel Flannery and jockey Kerrin McEvoy, with Lloyd's grandson Frank Williams holding the Melbourne Cup at Macedon Lodge in Melbourne, Wednesday. Nov. 2, 2016. Almandin overcame a potent international challenge to beat the Irish stayer Heartbreak City in the Melbourne Cup, with Hartnell taking the minor placing. (AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy) NO ARCHIVING

RECORD-breaking owner Lloyd Williams has hailed Kerrin McEvoy as the best “rider of staying horses in the world” while savouring an unprecedented fifth Melbourne Cup victory.

Williams said McEvoy’s effort to lift the German import to a narrow win over Ireland’s Heartbreak City was further evidence of the South Australian jockey’s prowess.

“Probably as good as I’ve seen in a Melbourne Cup,” Williams replied when asked about the quality of the McEvoy steer.

“I’ve seen a few, too. I thought it was terrific.

“He went out there with an open mind and rode the horse according to how the race was run.

“There’s not many better staying riders in the world, if there is any.

Melbourne Cup winner Almandin with (left to right) owner Lloyd Williams with his grandson Frank holding the cup, trainer Rob Hickmott, Joel Flannery and jockey Kerrin McEvoy at Macedon Lodge.

“You can see what he’s done in the last four or five weeks here.

“He’s run second in the Caulfield Cup (on Scottish) and he’s won every cup in the country (Geelong and Bendigo) in between plus the Melbourne Cup.

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“I think he would have won the Caulfield Cup if his horse had been a bit more tolerant to him when he came out of the barrier.

Almandin poses up alongside his owner Lloyd Williams, Rob Hickmott, Frank Williams (Frank’s grandson), Joel Flannery and Kerrin McEvoy.

“He actually showed other jockeys here in the Caulfield Cup what a great rider he is because he went around the field because he realised what the pace was.

“I gave him full marks in the Caulfield Cup for running second, which people probably wouldn’t because he ran second.

“There’s no better rider of staying horses in the world.”

Williams said it was too early to say whether Almandin would chase consecutive Cup triumphs, but he was delighted with the horse’s bright condition today.

Almandin etching its name in history after an epic duel with Heartbreak City.

Williams and McEvoy celebrated at Crown with their families last night before reuniting today at Macedon Lodge, which has produced four Cup winners in 15 years - Sheila Laxon’s Ethereal (2001) and Williams’ Efficient (2007) Green Moon (2012) and Almandin.

Flanked by his father Phil, McEvoy said: “I’m very thankful to Lloyd Williams and the Macedon Lodge team here. Full credit to them.

“There’s been four Melbourne Cup winners come out of this establishment in the last 15 or 16 years and it’s a great testament to the facilities here.”

Jockey Kerrin McEvoy and Lloyd Williams at Flemington following Almandin’s victory.

McEvoy, 36, said the TAB in his home town of Streaky Bay had been virtually wiped out by Almandin’s success.

“The local TAB didn’t have enough money to pay out so there was lots of cheering and the beers were flowing as well,” McEvoy said of the Eyre Peninsula fishing and farming town.

“We had a few sherbets last night and a nice celebration with Lloyd and the owners at Crown.

“It’s a dream to win one, let alone two.”

Originally published as Lloyd Williams pays Kerrin McEvoy ultimate compliment following Almandin’s Melbourne Cup win