Racing: Just another day at the office for leading hoop

Jockey Kerrin McEvoy celebrates on Almandin after winning the the Melbourne Cup. Photo / AP

After the blissful whirlwind of a second Melbourne Cup and the arrival of his fourth child jockey Kerrin McEvoy has slotted back into Sydney racing without missing a beat.

Almandin's victory put a second Cup on the 36-year-old's mantelpiece, 16 years after Brew thrust him into the limelight.

Eight days after his heroics in Australia's great race, his wife Cathy gave birth to their first daughter Eva-Mae.

"We haven't had a heap of time to sit down and really look back on it all," said McEvoy.

"We've just been trying to get the newborn settled and into a routine which we're getting on top of now."

That has coincided with McEvoy returning from the pinnacle of Australian racing to the regular working week of one of Sydney's finest jockeys.

"You still have to pinch yourself to think that you've won a Melbourne Cup again," McEvoy said.

There has been no sign of a Cup hangover.

McEvoy has booted home 10 winners since winning the world's richest handicap, including group three victories on Spright and Aspect as well as the Sandown Cup aboard Qewy.

He underscored his form with a winning double at Canterbury on Wednesday, his second metropolitan brace since returning to Sydney.

McEvoy will be out for more success at Rosehill today with key rides aboard Religify in the Festival Stakes (1500m) and Princefamous in the Starlight Stakes.

Chris Waller-trained gelding Religify rewarded punters who remained loyal after two defeats as favourite when McEvoy rode him to win the November Hcp (1400m) at Rosehill on November 19.

"He's a horse that makes his own luck," McEvoy said. "You've got Rageese and Hazzabeel up from Melbourne, a couple of other locals that we've seen plenty of times.

"So it's a good-quality race and he seems to be in good form."

On the same day Religify won, McEvoy got Princefamous home and he sticks with him in the Starlight, where the horse drops to 54kg.

"It strikes a chord with me that he's in with a light weight on his back. He's going to be up there making his own luck. He'll be looking the winner at some stage."

- AAP