Champion jockey Kerrin McEvoy is warming up nicely for a massive Queensland Winter Carnival

Top jockey Kerrin McEvoy has found the ideal horse for the Group 1 Queensland Oaks in June.

Trainer David Vandyke with Sydney jockey Kerrin McEvoy after their win in the Princess Stakes (1600m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Picture: Grant Peters / Trackside Photography

Champion jockey Kerrin McEvoy is back on his “good hunting ground” and primed to make an impact in this year’s lucrative Queensland Winter Carnival.

The Melbourne Cup-winning hoop has won 16 Group 1 races in the Sunshine State but will be looking to break a three-year drought after his last feature in Queensland came in the 2022 Doomben Cup (2100m) aboard Huetor.

READ: ‘My views are quite the opposite’: Waller distances himself from controversial letter

• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet’s team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

McEvoy started on the right foot with an impressive pre-carnival victory in the $160,000 Princess Stakes (1600m) for three-year-old fillies with Philia at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

The 44-year-old had seven rides on Saturday but he said he specifically came to Brisbane to familiarise himself with the Queensland Oaks-bound Philia for David Vandyke.

“She’s headed on an Oaks path, all being well, and Dave is a pretty good judge and he can train a good horse so I’m happy to come up and give her a go,” said McEvoy, who won his first Group 1 in Queensland in 2001, riding Juanmo to victory in the TJ Smith (1600m).

“I rode a lot for David when he was in Sydney. We’ve had a bit of luck together.

The David Vandyke-trained Philia wins the Princess Stakes on Saturday Picture: Grant Peters/ Trackside Photography

“We haven’t won a major together but it’s nice to get an opportunity for Dave on a horse that he likes.

“She’s showing nice promise and looks to be on an upward curve.”

McEvoy missed last year’s winter carnival after suffering a fractured vertebrae in an ugly fall on Golden Slipper Day at Rosehill Gardens during the autumn.

READ: Renewed focus: Pateman puts last year’s Warrnambool pain aside

He also skipped the 2020 winter carnival because of Covid restrictions.

“It’s been a good hunting ground for me over the past few years and I missed out last year because I was coming back from injury,” he said.

“It’s been a good place for me to ride some winners and hopefully I can do the same this year.”

McEvoy is expected to retain the ride on Philia for the $700,000 Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Eagle Farm on June 7.

Ladbrokes has listed Philia and the Nathan Doyle-trained Churchill’s Choice as $7 chances for the Oaks, behind current favourite Benagil ($6), which convincingly won the $1m Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) in Adelaide on Saturday.

Originally published as Champion jockey Kerrin McEvoy is warming up nicely for a massive Queensland Winter Carnival