French Toorak hope shines

Tuesday 8 October 2013, 2:35pm

Stephanie Nigge has already won a Melbourne Cup and a Herbert Power Handicap for French trainer Alain de Royer Dupre.

On Saturday at Caulfield she will try to win a big race for herself.

Nigge supervised Americain's three Melbourne Cup preparations, including his win in 2010, and she also guided Shawardi towards his Herbert Power Handicap win of last year for de Royer Dupre.

This year she is back with Trevieres who she trains with her father Markus, with Saturday's Group One Toorak Handicap in her sights.

Nigge's handling of Americain was so highly-regarded that his Australian part-owners Colleen and Geoff Bamford put her in charge of Trevieres' preparation after buying the horse earlier this year.

And according to Kerrin McEvoy who rides the horse on Saturday, she hasn't let them down.

"He's arrived here in great condition, very, very fit and very happy," McEvoy said after working the horse at the Werribee quarantine centre on Tuesday.

Trevieres arrived in Melbourne last Saturday week in the best form of his life with wins at three of his past four runs in France, all in good class races and, importantly, in large fields.

At his latest run at Chantilly he carried 57.5kg to win over the 1600m of the Toorak.

It is form that impresses McEvoy.

"He's only got 52 (kg) on Saturday, and it's not the strongest Toorak you've seen," he said.

"It's his first run in Australia and he's stepping up to Group One grade.

"But he's been hitting the line nicely in big fields in handicaps, so if he can get around Caulfield he's got to be a rough each-way chance.

McEvoy worked Trevieres over 1600m at Werribee and gave the work the thumbs-up.

"He was a little bit lazy working on his own but they tell me he switches on on racedays."

McEvoy also handled Caulfield Cup entrant Forgotten Voice at Werribee on Tuesday and was similarly impressed.

The nine-year-old showed he was over the travel sickness that troubled him last week with some strong work over 1600m.

Forgotten Voice was keen to do more, but McEvoy kept him under a tight grip in his gallop.

"He's a big ball of muscle," he said.

"He's a bit aggressive in his training, he was towing me around there this morning, nice and strong,"

McEvoy said he had studied the horse's most recent runs, which include a couple of novice hurdle wins before victories at his past two starts, the latest in a Group Three race over 2400m at Goodwood in August.

"He looks like the hustle and bustle of a big handicap at Caulfield isn't going to affect him at all," McEvoy said.

– AAP

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