Evans’ pair to use Ipswich feature as a stepping stone

By Pat McLeod

Trainer Noel Evans would be rapt with victory from either of his runners in Saturday night’s Col Harris Gold Sovereign Final over 630 metres at Ipswich, but reveals the race is a stepping stone for both.

Evans will campaign the enigmatic Gin Shelf and Money Tears in the annual feature.

This will be Gin Shelf’s last ‘local’ run before being sent to Melbourne and for Money Tears, it’s a case of building the miles before a shift up to 700 metres. 

Evans rates Gin Shelf, but after 43 starts for four wins and 17 placings the frustration is building.

“I think she is good enough to compete with the best,” Evans said.

“But, unfortunately, she gives up too much ground too often and then has a tough job beating them home from there.

“She comes home strongly, but yes, she is a little frustrating. She is not in the same grade as (the now-retired Warren Nicholls’ distance star) Days Of Thunder, but has the same race pattern.

“Days Of Thunder would get back and then rattle home along the fence whereas Gin Shelf, she normally travels wide and just winds into it."

Evans believes she can compete with the better dogs, but just needs the right track conditions.

“After Saturday night's run we are looking at sending her to Melbourne to try her on some different tracks down there," the trainer said. 

“I am not sure at the moment which trainer I will send her to, but I will just give her a try down there.”

Evans says that on Saturday night, if Gin Shelf is close enough, she is good enough.

“There is a lot of speed inside her, but if she can settle within the first four she could win this," he said. 

“Looking ahead, I think she could win a good race. It is just a case of getting her to perform at her best every week.”

Evans is not so confident of a winning result this time around for Money Tears.

“I don't give her much of a chance on Saturday night,” he said.

“She would need everything to go perfectly for her and I don't think drawn out wide (box seven) will help.

“The long-term plan for Money Tears is to move up to the 710 metres at Albion Park.

“She can certainly stay, but she is a very timid girl.

“It is a case of getting the runs over the distance to build her up to a 700 metre dog. The good thing is, both dogs like racing at Ipswich.”

Evans believes the biggest danger in the Gold Sovereign Final is Tyson Barton’s, Kenzie Baskin.

“That dog has got the potential to be a very good stayer and I think is the one dog in the field who can match it with Gin Shelf in the run to the line," Evans said. 

Evans, who is based on two-and-a-half acres near Ipswich, has a busy kennel with plenty of pups coming through.

He has two from an Orson Allen and Kinslee litter that are about 17 months old, four 16-month-old Shima Shine and Miss Fernando pups and five Shima Shine and Queen Werina (the mother of Gin Shelf).