Father and son duo Tony and Calvin McEvoy are enjoying a stellar run, maintaining a stakes-winning strike rate of 12 per cent for the season. Since partnering up in September 2019, the McEvoy team has claimed an impressive 34 stakes victories in just four seasons. This season alone, they have secured 10 feature race victories across four states, headlined by Group 1 wins with Veight (Grunt {NZ}) and Coco Sun (The Autumn Sun).
• The partnership boasts a stakes-winning strike rate of 12 per cent and a Group 1-winning strike rate of 16 per cent this season.
• The partnership maintains a current season strike rate of 40 per cent placegetters to runners when competing in Group 1 races.
• Forty-four per cent of their current season 2-year-olds stakes or feature race starters have finished in the top three placings.
• The partnership has purchased all of their current season's stakes winners as yearlings for an average price of $265,000.
When competing in Group 1 races, the team has managed to secure an impressive strike rate of over 40 per cent placegetters to runners this season. Notably, both of their current season Group 1 winners have triumphed interstate: Coco Sun won the G1 South Australian Derby at Morphettville, and Veight claimed top honours in the G1 George Ryder S. at Rosehill.
| G3 H.D.F. Mcneil Stakes | Veight |
| G3 George Ryder Stakes | Veight |
| G2 Stanley Wootton Stakes | Veight |
| G3 Maribyrnong Plate | Dublin Down |
| G2 Stanley Wootton Stakes | Veight |
| G3 Pago Pago Stakes | Dublin Down |
| G1 George Ryder Stakes | Veight |
| G1 SA Derby | Coco Sun |
| MM National 2YO Classic | Arabian Summer |
| MM Ballarat 2YO Classic | Arabian Summer |
Table: Tony & Calvin McEvoy’s 2023/24 feature winners
From fewer than 40 juvenile starts this season, the team has collected three feature juvenile events, including the recent $1 million Magic Millions National 2YO Classic with Too Darn Hot (GB) filly Arabian Summer. This victory marked Arabian Summer's third career win and her second lucrative Magic Millions victory after claiming the $250,000 Magic Millions Ballarat 2YO Classic last year. The team has an affinity with the Magic Millions series, having claimed eight of its feature races since its inception, including the Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YO Classic with Sunlight (Zoustar) in 2018.
In addition to their success with sales-restricted race series, the McEvoy team capitalises on the rich VOBIS series, restricted to horses sired by Victorian-based stallions. This year, the team trained the winners of two feature events, including the $500,000 VOBIS Sires Guineas with Elphinstone (Street Boss {USA}) and the $175,000 VOBIS Gold Eureka Stockade with Sunset Dreaming (Impending). Both horses were sourced at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $200,000 and $150,000, respectively.
| Veight | $220,000 | 2022 Inglis Classic Sale | Mcevoy Mitchell Racing / Belmont Bloodstock (fbaa) |
| Dublin Down | $370,000 | 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale | Mcevoy Mitchell Racing/Belmont Bloodstock Agency (fbaa) |
| Coco Sun | $250,000 | 2022 Inglis Classic Sale | Mcevoy Mitchell Racing / Belmont Bloodstock (fbaa) |
| Arabian Summer | $220,000 | 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale | Mcevoy Mitchell Racing/Belmont Bloodstock Agency (fbaa) |
Table: Sale details of Tony & Calvin McEvoy’s 2023/24 feature winners
While their results on the track are impressive, their buying record is remarkable in it's own right. With the assistance of Damon Gabbedy of Belmont Bloodstock (FBAA), the McEvoy team has purchased all of their current season feature race winners at relatively modest prices. At the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, the team purchased six yearlings at an average price of just over $150,000. Among these were elite winners Veight and Coco Sun, secured for $220,000 and $250,000, respectively. Together, these two horses have collected over $2.8 million in prize money, nearly six times their combined purchase price.
Similarly, at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, the McEvoy team and Belmont Bloodstock secured nine yearlings, two of which have since won stakes or feature races. Arabian Summer, a $900,000-plus earner, was a modest $220,000 purchase from the Coolmore Stud draft, while the dual Group 3 winning colt Dublin Down (Exceedance) was a $370,000 purchase from the Edinburgh Park draft.
Calvin and Tony McEvoy | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Other recent notable purchases include $2 million Inglis Millennium winner Xtravagant Star (Xtravagant {NZ}), secured for just $150,000 from the 2021 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, and last year's G3 Thoroughbreds Stakes winner Bossy Nic (Nicconi), purchased for $190,000 at the following edition of the same sale.
Whether it's 2-year-old races, restricted races, or weight-for-age Group 1s, Tony and Calvin McEvoy are a formidable partnership making significant waves in the racing world.
