It reads on paper as one of the worst runs of Alpine Eagle's career but trainer Tony McEvoy described his sixth-placed effort in Saturday's Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) as "bloody good considering".

Alpine Eagle jumped from barrier five, settled sixth and remained in that position throughout, finishing 5.35 lengths away from dominant winner Black Heart Bart.

"Alpine Eagle got on the back of the winner (Black Heart Bart) but when they sprinted he got left flat footed and was looking very dour," McEvoy said.

"But in the last 50 metres of the race he started to build.

"I thought his run was a real pass mark for a horse starting off. It was his second run in just over a year (after cracking his pedal bone) – it was a bloody good effort considering.

"He had a good blow after yesterday's race and that will clean him right up for his next start."

WATCH: Alpine Eagle's Memsie run

 

Alpine Eagle, like several other Memsie runners, are expected to have their next start in the $500,000 Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 10.

Alpine Eagle has raced twice at Flemington, both times over 1600 metres, resulting in near misses at Group 1 level.

He finished second in the 2015 Australian Guineas beaten a head by Wandjina and in last year's Makybe Diva Stakes was three-quarters of a length behind Fawkner in finishing sixth.

A Group 1 victory would be highly valuable for the five-year-old entire by High Chaparral that's raced by iconic winemaker Wolf Blass.