The Best Bets Star of the Saddle went down to the wire on Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas Day with Kerrin McEvoy and Damian Lane splitting the $50,000 prize today after recording a thrilling tie.
Launched last weekend at Flemington, the Star of the Saddle recognises the best and fairest jockey at selected feature meetings throughout the Victorian Spring Racing Carnival.
With points awarded on a 3-2-1 basis to the placegetters in each race, McEvoy and Lane both placed in four races to amass eight points and ultimately take home $25,000 each.
McEvoy was victorious on California Zimbol in the Group 3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes (1200m) and Trekking in the Group 2 Alfa Romeo Schillaci Stakes (1100m).
The visiting Sydney rider also posted a pair of Group 1 third placings aboard Groundswell in the Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas (1600m) and Age of Chivalry in the Lamaro’s Hotel South Melbourne Toorak Handicap (1600m).
Lane won the Group 2 Ladbrokes Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) aboard The Chosen One to secure the Kiwi visitor a ticket into next Saturday’s $5 million Stella Artois Caulfield Cup (2400m) at the same track.
He finished runner-up to McEvoy in the Thoroughbred Club Stakes aboard Loving Gaby, before narrowly failing to reel in Flit when second in the Group 1 Schweppes Thousand Guineas (1600m) with Missile Mantra.
Lane led the competition coming into the 10th and final race, the Schillaci Stakes, where he needed a top two placing to secure the prize outright, but he could only manage a third placed finish with The Bostonian.
Mark Zahra filled third place in today’s Star of the Saddle on six points, with Hugh Bowman, Dwayne Dunn and Craig Williams next best on five points apiece.
McEvoy and Lane join young gun Jordan Childs, who claimed the $50,000 prize outright last weekend at Flemington, as winners of the Star of the Saddle this spring.
The Star of the Saddle will be next awarded on Stella Artois Caulfield Cup Day on Saturday, 19 October with the prize doubling to $100,000 for the best and fairest jockey on the day.